Myths of a Feather
by we-bears-babygirl
Summary: First chapter, yall! Ok, Hagrid is running Care of Magical Creatures when Hermoine has the idea to turn STUDENTS into magical creatures...Neville is a turtle, Parkinson is a mermaid, and HARRY IS A HIPPOGRIFF...how will our Prince of Slytherin react? Slightly A/U...set in sixth year. HARRY/DRACO M is for later...patience is a virtue kiddies! **100% Completed with a Bonus Scene**
1. Chapter 1

DRACO'S POV:

"...and then I said, only a Mudblood would!" Pansy's cackle was enough to cause a man to rip out his eardrums. Ever since third year, she has felt the need to be the loudest, most annoying girl in Hogwarts. Especially around me. Parkinson has made it her life's mission to become the next Mrs. Malfoy. Disgusting.

"So, what is that miserable oaf teaching today?" Zabini asked, jumping into the group. Crabbe and Goyle bristled at the sudden arrival, but continued to wobble to class when I waved them off. "How to feed a Weasley without losing your arm? It seems like the more we come here, the fewer of us leave without some injury." I shrugged, keeping my mouth shut. Since we came back for our sixth year, after I got _this_ on my arm, I haven't found the excitement in this daily dribble we do. That snakey-faced bastard forced his little mark on me. I would have told the git to go back to Hell if he hadn't grabbed my mother by the throat. _Join us, Draco,_ he said, _or buy your life with hers. _I had dropped to my knees without hesitation, like some bloody-heart Gryffindor.

"Malfoy!" Speak of the devil. I turned around to see the female Weasley walking up to us, with a murderous glint in her eyes. "What did you do to my brother?!" She came within an inch of me, poking me in the chest. "He's in the hospital wing right now with bunny ears and he's croaking like a damn frog! What did you do?!" Crabbe and Goyle moved to grab her, but I rose my hand to stop them. That earned me a suspicious glare from the Weaslette.

When I spoke, my voice sounded dead. "I don't know what you're talking about. Perhaps his wand once again backfired while he was trying to impress Granger. Your family is not known for their magical competence." She pulled her wand and pressed the tip into my windpipe. I threw out my arms to hold back my group. Zabini and Parkinson were silently in the back, while Crabbe and Goyle were practically foaming at the mouth.

"There is one Weasley known for her _competence_," she spat the word in my face, "and unfortunately for you, she has her wand in your throat." Heavy footsteps rushed up to us, and suddenly the Weaslette was airborne, a set of large fingers wrapped around her.

"Easy ther, Ginny. No need to get expelled o'er Malfoy her." The large oaf put her down behind him before turning back to us. "All of ye o'er ther. It's time te start class. Gryffindors on the left, and Slyth'rins on yer right." The red-head glared at us before joining her house. She was met by the Mudblood and Potter. The two women turned their backs to us, but Potter took a moment to give me a questioning look. He looked almost...confused. He turned back to his house when Hagrid moved to the front of the class. "A'right class, I got ye good news and bad news." I could feel the tension of the class skyrocket. His good news always made us miserable, so we only had to guess his bad news will kill us. "The good news is, ye don't have te be in class fer three days." A lot of Slyth'rins and Gryffindors sighed in relief. "The bad news is, ye not gonna be human fer it."

"Hagrid," Granger shrilled, "that was only a suggestion. I didn't say to actually do it!"

"I know, Hermione, but I liked the idea so I got the okay from Dumbl'dor and the teachers. As I wer saying, yer not gonna be human." He turned to a little workbench and picked up one of the many vials. "This right her is a potion te make ye change into any creature, magic or not. These potions are all the same, yer animal is based on ye. Could ye come up her, Miss Granger?" The Mudblood slowly walked up to the oaf. "A'right, now step into one of these stables." He moved over to a large, newly-built set of stables and opened one of the doors. Granger slowly stepped inside and took the vial from Hagrid. "Drink up, Miss Granger." She uncorked the vial and downed it in one gulp. Hagrid took the vial back, locked Granger in, and watched with the rest of the class as Granger shrunk and twisted to change into a large eagle owl. Her bright yellow eyes looked over the students before focusing on Hagrid. "A'right, Hermione, I forgot te ask, who is yer par'ner gonna be?" The owl hooted before flying off, passing the class and heading towards the castle. "Miss Granger!"

"Professor," Potter said, "She is probably going to the hospital wing. Ron wanted to be her partner if we actually did this."

"Very well, H'rry. Jus' let her know that she needs te be back. It's not fair te the others that she can fly. Flitwick will be by later to ward the doors, so yer par'ners can go in, but ye can't come out. Now let's do par'ners." He called off names and we groaned. It was a Slytherin and a Gryffindor in each pair. Parkinson demanded to know why Granger and Weasley could work together. The oaf covered his arse by explaining that there were more Gryffindors than Slytherins now, ever since the Dark Lord's return. My heart dropped when I heard my name being called. "Malfoy, yer being paired with Mis'er Longbottom. And H'rry? Yer working with Mis'er Crabbe ther." Groans broke out over all the students as they paired up. The tall, lanky Gryffindor with wings for ears came up to me, staring hard at his shoes.

"Do me a favor, Malfoy?" Longbottom mumbled. "If-if I t-turn into a mouse or something, could you not squish me? I promise no funny business on my end if you do the same." He looked up at me, but with his height, he still had his head down. "Alright?" I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Finally, a Gryffindork who looks like he's about to wet himself.

I sighed. "Longbottom, I just want to get this over with as much as you do. I tell you this: I promise not to squish you, but if you turn into a unicorn or something, I promise you some jokes will be made about it. Deal?" After making sure no one was looking, I stuck out my hand. He flinched before he took it. "And not a peep about this or Snape will use your eyeballs in his next potion, got it?" The Gryffindor went white as a sheet, but still shook his hand.

"Okay, I got it. Deal." They turned toward the class and made their way to the stables. Longbottom entered the stable and took a vial, keeping his pale color.

"Bottom's up!" The giant called. The first of the pairs drank their potions and began changing. They became all different kinds of creatures. Zabini turned into a fox, while Parkinson turned into a mermaid, the stable magically filling with water to accomodate her. I heard a shriek that I've only heard once before, right before my arm was shredded by a...In the stable where Potter was supposed to be, stood a large hippogriff. Crabbe watched his partner shriek and beat his massive wings with wide eyes. I've never seen the man so terrified in my life. A hiss was coming from Longbottom's stable. I turned back to my partner to find him hidden behind the gate, but a steady hiss came from the ground. A loud laugh burst from me before I could stop myself. On top of Longbottom's robes sat a turtle about the size of a quaffle. He narrowed his eyes to slits before retreating into his shell.

"Longbottom, off all the animals you could be!" Potter shrieked again. Crabbe was backing away with his hands raised.

"Calm down, Potter. You make a stupid beast! Why couldn't you be an owl like your Mudblood?" The hippogriff screeched before he tried to tear down the door. His claws tore through the wood. Hagrid rushed over to wave him off.

"Whoa, now! Easy ther, H'rry!" From the looks of things, Potter wasn't listening. The door to the stable splintered under the force of his blows. Students were running to the giant's hut. That large mutt of his was pulling on his chain, barking for his master. I ran over to Potter's stable before I could stop myself.

"It's Crabbe's fault!" I heard myself say. "He was insulting Potter because Potter wouldn't stop screeching at him. Crabbe pissed him off, and he doesn't know that hippogriffs are sensitive." Crabbe and Hagrid both stared at me as if I grew a second head. I couldn't blame them. I was suprised myself. Potter stopped trying to break down the door. Even with his beak and feathers, he still gave me the same look he had earlier.

The half-giant cleared his throat. "Well, er, then I guess that's ferty points from Slyth'rin fer bad judgement." He turned his back to us to address the rest of the class. "Ev'ryone come back after dinner te feed yer par'ners. Class dismissed!"

Dinner tonight was no different than any other night, except the majority of the Gryffindors were down in the stables. We were told to go down there to feed them after dinner. I caught it early by lying a bunch of grapes in front of Longbottom. Hagrid smiled when I took the time to cut them in half. Potter's massive head was craned over his stable door, watching me. His eyes followed me as I went back to the castle, with that same stupid look. As we ate dinner at the Slytherin table, Potter's eyes were staring at me still in my head. He keeps looking at me like he knows something. The mark on my arm tingled. A massive weight settled in the pit of my stomach. He couldn't know about that...could he?

The rest of the night passed by me in a blur. Before I knew it, I was in my bed at nine. Most of the older Slytherins don't go to bed until eleven, but my mind was reeling. Something about Potter's looks churned my stomach. What was he watching? I jumped when I heard a loud laugh outside of the door.

"Hell no, I am not feeding Potter!" I heard Goyle say. "The git had it coming when he tried to tear me apart!" I rolled my eyes. _You're the git who insulted him,_ I thought. _Everyone here knows that Potter has a temper._ I turned my back to the door and forced my eyes shut. Eventually, I dozed off.

_Snake-face was pacing in front of me, smiling. My mother and father was standing in the corner. Mother was crying, reaching out for me. Father held her back, his eyes stone cold. There was a body lying in front of me. His head was turned away from me, but the messy mop of dark hair told me exactly who it was. Tears were falling down my face. I tried with all my strength to stop, but I couldn't. This man lying in front of me was dead. I have no idea how I knew, but the thought caused my heart to rip to shreds. I realized I was talking. The words, "Kill me, too." "I can't live without him." _WHAT?! I tried to get up, to run away from this insanity, but I couldn't. I stayed there on my knees, staring at the shell of Potter.

_ The Dark Lord knelt in front of me and grabbed my chin, bringing my eyes to his. "You have disappointed me, Draco. I understand that children like yourself are so easily swayed by love, but I thought your father taught you better." _Love?! What is going on here?!

_ "Leave him alone! You got what you want!" Weasley was across the room, pinned to the floor by Greyback, Pettigrew, and Goyle's father. Granger was beside him. Bellatrix held her down, holding a knife to her throat. "Leave Draco out of this! He has nothing to do with us!" Greyback grabbed his throat and squeezed until all that Weasley could do was a high-pitched wheeze. _Weasley defending me? Calling me by my first name?

_"Please," Granger sobbed, "let him go."_

_ "SILENCE!" Snake-face hissed. "I know how to see where Draco's allegiance truly lies...LEGILIMENS!_" _Images rushed through my mind. I saw myself getting the Mark, then going back to Hogwarts. It then rushed to Hagrid's class, then the tone changed. The memories had Potter shimmering. It was like the memories zeroed in on the Boy Wonder. The images changed. It showed me looking at Harry in different ways. First, it was mostly anger. Then it shifted into fondness, then it felt like I had to look at him as much as I could or he would vanish. The last image that fled through my mind was of him above me, kissing me..._

A piercing shriek woke me up. I sprung up from bed. My heart sounded like it was beating in my head, but soon I realized that the rhythmic sound was an owl tapping on the window. A large eagle owl was perched outside the glass, staring straight at him. Its large yellow eyes had a look of scorn that was all too familiar. I wrenched open the window and she flew down to my bed, pausing over the sheets before retreating to the bedposts.

"Granger?" I asked. She hooted smugly. "Could you possibly tell me why you're here?" She ruffled her feathers before flying back outside. She hovered there, flapping her massive wings impatiently. "What do you want, Granger? It's late." She flapped her wings harder, as if to make a point. I groaned when the meaning was clear. "You want me to follow you?" She screeched gleefully. My head fell, staring at the ground. Being in the dungeons of Hogwarts, it would be a long walk uphill to reach the front of the school. I sighed and turned back to the owl. "You're worried about Potter, aren't you?" The owl shrieked again, flapping her wings harder. "Fine," I growled. She flew in dozens of loops while I climbed out of the window. I stepped down onto the frosty grass before making way to Hagrid's hut, the persistent bird soaring above me.

The closer I got, I could hear the hippogriff screeching and pounding his claws. Granger flew faster until she landed on Potter's stable door. They shared a look before Potter turned his large, eagle head to me. He was fidgeting in his stable. He tried to extend his wings, but they crashed into the sides of the small room before they were even half-opened. Potter whined through his beak. Granger hooted sympathetically. I watched her as her head spun on her body. Her eyes locked on something before she flew to the other side of the clearing. "So," I started. This was ridiculous. I've been talking to animals all night. Potter huffed, kicking the door with his talons. "I wager with those massive wings, knowing you, the only thing you want right now is to fly?" Potter shook his massive head, then faced Granger as she landed at my feet. "What now, Granger?" A string of cooked steaks hung from her beak. Her eyes went from me, to the meat, then to Potter. Potter's fidgeting grew more frantic as he stared at the steaks. He was almost hopping in place when I picked the meat up. "I'm warning you, Potter. If you make any move to cut me to shreds, I will hex you. Here." I tossed the string over the stable door. Potter caught the meat in his beak, but then tossed it back to me. Granger rolled her eyes before retreating to her stable.

Potter hit the lock of the door with his beak. The lock was covered in scratches and dents where Potter must have been trying to open it himself. His golden eyes stared hard at me, willing some thought to reach me. "Are you wanting out, bird-brain?" Potter reared back on his hind legs. He aimed his talons at the door's lock as he crashed down. His massive claws tore around the lock through the wood, but the door stayed locked.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," I sighed. "I had a dream about you, Potter. So if you kill me, you'll never hear it." The hippogriff froze for a moment, then backed away from the door. He bowed his massive head, waiting for me. My hands shook as I took the lock. The bolt slid out, then the door flew open as Potter raced out. The force sent me flying into Finnigan's stable, where a large bear was sleeping. Potter caught my sleeve with his beak, suspending me an inch away from Finnigan's jaw. He awkwardly walked to the other side of the clearing, dropping me at the roots of a tree.

"Thanks," I mumbled. Potter tilted his head to focus one eye on my face. It strangely reminded me of Moody's magic eye. It felt just as invasive. He cooed through his beak, bumping me in the chest. I groaned. There would be a large bruise tomorrow. Potter backed away from me like I was the one to hurt him. He collapsed to the ground, lying on his side submissively.

_They 'ill have their basest instincts, _I remember the giant saying. _They know who ye are, but their thoughts are pure instincts. They show some ges'ure of submission, that mean yer in charge..._

His eyes followed me as I went to grab his string of steaks and sat near his head. "Get off your arse, will ya?" Potter rolled onto his belly, now face-to-face with me. I almost had it in me to regret my words. I slid the first steak off the string. Struggling to hold it with as few fingers as possible, I held it under his beak. Surprise washed over me as he gingerly bit the farthest edge of the meat, pulling it out of my hand before tearing it apart. This continued as he ate every steak, twelve total. When the last chunk of meat was devoured, he rested his head on his talons, his eyes pleading.

"What, Potter? Need a bedtime story?" His feathers ruffled before he shrieked.


	2. Chapter 2

"Look, Potter, I don't what that birdy little brain of yours is thinking, but I need to go back." I rose to my feet to dust off the back of my pants. "It's the middle of the night and unlike you-" The hippogriff shrieked before jumping to his feet. Potter pounded his talons into the ground, glaring at my arm.

"What is your problem, Potter?" He inched foward and tapped my left arm with his beak. He jumped back as if touching my skin burned him. It was the dark mark that suprised him. "Potter, it's fine. As ugly as it looks, it's not going to bite you. I've got to head back. Classes are tomorrow and I really need some sleep." I tried to leave the clearing, but the huge scarhead leaped into my path. "What are you playing at, four-eyes?" He towered over me, spreading his wings to full legnth. I jumped when a loud screech came from the stables. Granger screeched, flapping her wings wildly, but before I could go to her, I was being yanked up by the neck of my robes. Potter ran out of the woods, me still hanging from his beak. He slung me over on his back just seconds before he took off into the sky. I had no choice but to wrap my arms around his neck as he climbed higher and higher.

"Potter," I yelled. "Put me down!" He screeched before folding his wings in tight against my legs, plummeting towards the lake. The water came rushing up to us. As he dove, he twirled around, making my stomach turn. "Potter! Pull up!" He stopped rolling long enough for me to see the shadow of the giant squid pass beneath the water. My heart started pounding so hard that it was about to burst. I gripped the feathers on his neck, almost plucking him bald.

"_PULL UP, YOU BLOODY SCAR-HEADED BASTARD!_ _PULL UP!" _My voice was too high and panicky for my pride.

Potter instantly leveled, hovering inches above the black water. My grip on his neck eased as I watched the shadow of the squid swim away. He angled his head to see me, cooing through his beak. He flinched when I dug my heels in his sides.

"I'm fine, you git." The water sloshed when he grazed it with his talon. My heart lept in my throat and I was suddenly dizzy. I slumped into Potter's back as all my limbs turned to ice. "Potter," I groaned. "Get me out of here before I die of fright!" He cooed again. My vision was starting to go black.

_"GO!" _I yelled with what strength I had. My stomach lurched as he sped back to the clearing. I couldn't help but to watch the water as it sped past. What if I fell in? Could hippogriffs swim? The image of Potter swooping in and plucking me from the water...made my vision go completely black.

"Malfoy?" A loud, gruff voice was the next thing I could hear. "Malfoy?" Something that felt like a leather cushion hit my cheek. "Mis'r Malfoy? C'mon, Malfoy. I don't wanna get you in trouble by taking to the hospi'al wing." I could hear Potter screeching beside me. "'Arry, ease yer feat'ers o'er him. He's fine." He cooed pitifully before a huge weight collapsed on the ground beside me. My heart stopped pounding in my head and my eyes were slowly opening. By the time the sight of the half-giant cleared, he was smiling from ear to ear. He turned to the hippogriff. "See, 'Arry. He's awake." Potter's head popped in and filled my vision. I must be hallucinating! His large green eyes were almost as shiny as gemstones. In those eyes, I saw the boy who blew me off in first year. The boy who stole my place as the king of Hogwarts...without even wanting it. Harry Potter, the one that has been two steps ahead of me my entire life...

"I feel like I'm flying again." My breath came out in a rush.

"It's a'right Malfoy. You just passed out. Yer gonna be weak fer a while." Potter pounded his claw before screeching. "I think 'Arry wants to know what happened back ther'." I nodded and reached out for Hagrid. I took his hand and pulled myself up, nearly falling back over when Potter bumped my cheek with his beak.

I patted his head, the feathers slid through my fingers like satin. "Thanks for not dropping me, Potter." Hagrid and Potter stared at me waiting for the answer. My stomach churned again and I sighed. "I would rather not if I'm going to see my explanation blasted on the Daily Prophet's front page. It is a flaw that only my mother and my nurse is aware of. I'm now more than ever not in the position to have my weakness exposed."

"Malfoy, yer in no worry here. Anythin' you say is with us. You need te let us know so we know what t'do if it happens again." I gripped my hands so hard my knuckles turned white. Potter cooed, bumping my shoulder. It was like he was catching on to my discomfort while Hagrid just stared. My eyes shiut tightly.

"I have this muggle problem," I said through gritted teeth. "My nurse called it aquaphobia." The giant sat back, confused. Potter propped his head on his talons, listening. "It means that I am afraid of water. I won't say why, but I've had this since I was six, and I would greatly appreciate if the news of Draco Malfoy's muggle ailments didn't reach the Prophet." Hagrid and Potter shared a look before the professor spoke.

"Don't worry, Malfoy. Yer secret is safe with us."

The next week was completely uneventful. I made sure to avoid Potter during class. After Crabbe would leave, I would throw Potter's dinner into the stable, ignoring the cooing and the shrieks coming from him. Granger was chained to the stable, now that Weasley was able to attend class. Without Potter to distract him, Weasley has been especially keen to making my life hell. Every time I'm within ear shot, I would hear 'greasy-haired git' or 'snake face', which considering who now owns me, was a very insulting name.

After the Gryffindors became humans again, the Slytherins entered the stables. Weasley was first to change. A smug smile was on my face when his pig snout and curly tail appeared, but it was short lived, because I was given my vial. Hagrid winked before moving on to the next student. Potter was standing there beside Longbottom. His eyes shone even brighter in the daylight. We were face-to-face.

"We need to talk, Draco." His face looked like it was carved from stone. A hard, invasive look. My stomach lurched and my head spun.

"Yes we do, bird-brain, but I have an assignment to complete." I downed the vial in one gulp. He watched awe-struck as I shrunk. My bones twisted and popped as everything around me was getting bigger and bigger. Harry and Neville's heads bent over the door. They stared at me with gaping mouths.

Neville gasped, "Malfoy's a...He's a-"

"A pheonix." Harry breathed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry, guys. I have a baby at the house, so my writing is taking the back-burner for a while. Here's a lil tid-bit to hold yall while I work on the Drarry scene. Nothing mature yet, it's just gonna be all connecting.**

* * *

HARRY'S POV:

Classes today were a pain. Hagrid may have gotten permission for us to miss class, but it did nothing when it came to our work. It didn't help that Hermione was staring at me the entire day. As a hippogriff, I had no control over myself. My instincts took over and I couldn't think of nothing but impressing him. That first night was both amazing and a huge wreck. It felt so good to fly with him, but then he passed out...from fear, for Merlin's sake! Then I saw that damn Dark Mark on his arm! He done it. He really done it. I expected disgust, maybe even horror at seeing the black disgrace on his skin, but all I could do was feel sorry for him. How deep has his family fallen to make him do that? I could see in his eyes that he was as disgusted with it as anybody. The day blurred past until the stables jumped out in front of me.

"Harry!" Hermoine spat. "You have to give Crabbe his mice. You don't want him to lash out at you again."

I rolled my eyes. "He'll keep doing that whether I feed him or not." The mice squirmed and squealed as I threw them into the stable. My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach when he came forward. It's hard to believe that he became uglier than before being an Acromantula. Because of his tall form as a human, he was barely small enough to fit in the stable. His body, including his legs, was about four feet wide. He stood at three and a half feet tall. The stable was pitch black, regardless of the sunny day outside. Hermoine said she was grateful Ron wasn't here to see him. He had just stopped having nightmares of the synchronized swimming spiders.

Neville squealed before falling on his arse. Malfoy was chained to the stable struggling, screeching fiercely.

"Harry!" Neville yelled. "Harry, get over here!" I rushed over to him and helped him up, then turned to the frantic pheonix. Malfoy's silver eyes blazed with fury. "He won't let me feed him. Every time I try to give him this food, he freaks out." He handed me the strip of meat. I then saw what the problem was.

"This is just some cheap scrap meat. Knowing Malfoy, he would prefer something a little more extravagant." The screeching eased and Malfoy moved back to his perch, shifting from one foot to the other. "Don't worry about him, Neville. I'll come back after dinner. You still need to finish that essay for Snape, right?" His eyes widened and his face paled.

"Yeah," he mumbled.

The class dismissed for the day and the day passed as slowly as possible. Hermoine gave up trying to keep my attention and everyone else didn't bother knowing I wasn't really there. All I could think of was that Malfoy's feathers looked sickly. On his left wing, there was a huge black mark on his feathers, almost as if they were burned. The decay soon spread to both wings and his feathers were molting. I remember Hagrid saying that the feathers weren't even good enough for a wand. If I had looked up faster, I bet I would have saw Malfoy cringe. I felt bad for the guy. I also feel something else. Something weird. As a hippogriff, the emotion was as plain as day, but now, it felt like complete nonsense. I still couldn't shake the elation of flying with him on my back, or the terror when I thought I somehow scared him to death. I cared for him. I felt completely disgusted with myself at the idea of hurting him. Now he was all alone down in the stables. The seconds feel like years stuck in that small room, hearing nothing but screeching, moaning, and howling. Nothing came into focus until finally I was working on the last few bites of my dinner.

"Hippogriffs allow humans to fly with them only if a connection exists between animal and man." Hermoine recited. I looked up and saw her staring hard at me. "Hippogriffs feel even stronger for their owner if they allow the human to feed them by hand. Harry, it may not go both ways, but I know you feel connected to him somehow. If this is another rescue mission, Harry, listen to me now. Forget him. He will only drag you down into his twisted, miserable world. If Ron was here, he would say You-Know-Who sent Malfoy to seduce you or something."

I cringed at the thought. "Please, for Merlin's sake, don't bring Ron into this. I will never get a moment's peace with him." With a sigh, I pushed my food around the plate. "Okay, let's say that I may have a hunch about Malfoy-"

"You want to save him, Harry."

"_But_, he's Malfoy. It's not like I'm diving too deep into the ring of Death Eaters. He's miles away from Voldemort," Hermoine sucked in a gasp, "_and_, it's Hogwarts. If it's no use, I'll drop it." Students filed out of the great hall until Hermoine and I were the only ones at the Gryffindor table. She rolled her eyes and stood.

What she said next was quick, but harsh. "You won't drop it, Harry. You will keep at it and keep at it until you succeed or until it gets one of you killed. Remember that he's not someone who got sucked in the wrong crowd. He was bred to serve You-Know-Who. You will be challenging generations of darkness that they have forced into him. The two of you will fight each other until it nearly destroys you both. And if it gets one of you killed, I'm sorry, Harry, but I would rather it be him than you!" She stormed out of the hall. _Well, _I thought, _that's where we would disagree._


	4. Chapter 4

It's amazing that the animals are even noisier asleep than they were awake. I remember staying up night after night, my eyes locked on the clearing, hoping to see the Slytherin come back. If waiting for Malfoy didn't keep me awake, the loud persistent noises coming from the other stables did. Hermoine's words still ran through my mind, making me uneasy. I get what she meant. I keep getting into trouble trying to save everybody. That my hero complex would eventually get me hurt or killed, but she doesn't understand.

He grabs his arm during class, then he yanks his hand away like it burned him. He stares at his left forearm during meals, no, he glares at it. He pushes almost all of his food away from him without eating a bite, sickened. Malfoy...Draco walks through the halls all night, every night. His tiny footprints on the Marauder's Map would walk aimlessly around the castle for hours before disappearing in the Room of Requirement. Every day, it's the same heart-wrenching routine. If it were me, Hermoine and Ron would have already tied me up and sent me straight to the Hospital Wing, but his housemates couldn't care less. He sat at the Slytherin's table every day completely alone.

I have to save him. He obviously doesn't want this. And then his animal was a pheonix? How does Hermoine not see that as a sign?

Draco was asleep in his stable, his head tucked under what was left of his wing. Almost all of his feathers had fallen off and what few he had were almost completely gone with decay. The flesh on his body was a dull pink with large blotches of black and gray. He looked like hell! Draco was miraculously asleep, despite his ragged breathing. I crept forward and brushed his wing with my thumb.

"Draco," I whispered, not wanting to wake up these beastly, regardless of their species, Slytherins...and Ron. The large bird shivered, but didn't move. "Draco," a little louder. His twitched the wing over his face. I finally flicked his foot with my fingers. Draco's head shot up and he screeched. The sound was hoarse. His silver eyes focused and narrowed to slits. If looks could kill...right? "Draco," he straightened up. The very effort it took him to move made me cringe. "I know where to get you some decent food. Here." I held out my arm to him. He bent his head to peck at my hand before jumping to my forearm. He shifted his feet while I pulled the cloak out of my bag. "Okay, Draco, this is my Invisibility Cloak. I'm going to drape it over us, and I would like you to return the favor of secrecy on this. Got it?" Draco cooed shakily. It took a few tries before I finally wrapped the cloak around us. He climbed up my arm to my shoulder as we left the clearing. At one point, I could have sworn he bumped his beak against my ear before cooing.

I could tell that this was a part of the castle that Draco hasn't seen. His head twisted from side to side, watching in amazement as we approached a painting of fruit. He watched curiously as I tickled the pear and the door swung open, where two saucer-sized gold eyes were shining with joy.

"Harry Potter, sir! Dobby knew Harry Potter would come see him again!" The house-elf ran excitedly through the kitchen, knocking over pots full of steaming liquid and large plates, the sound of breaking glass ringing through the room. Draco ducked his head as I pulled the cloak off and ducked into the warm chamber. "Dobby tell all the other house-elves that Harry Potter likes Dobby and that he was coming to see Dobby. They say Dobby was wrong, but Dobby knew he was right!"

I smiled and bent down to pat Dobby's head. "Hello, Dobby. I came to ask if you had any quality scraps for my friend here." The bird turned his head to me, before screeching. I shook my head. "Hagrid was trying to give him some rubbish and well, what did Draco favor while you worked for the Malfoys?" Dobby's eyes dulled at the mention of his former masters, but it didn't last long. Soon, he was just as excited.

"Oh, young Master Draco loved the best cuts of beef. Dobby remembers Master Draco smiling every time Dobby placed a delicious filet in front of him at dinner. Dobby never had to scrape scraps from Master Draco's plate." He smiled warmly. "Young Master Draco liked Dobby. Sometimes Master Draco would beg his father not to hurt Dobby. Dobby would always feel sad when Master Draco was punished for defending Dobby." He still smiled, but sadly. "Dobby misses Master Draco." Draco suddenly jumped down from my arm and stood in front of the elf. Dobby sat down to pet the bird. He paused to look up at me. "Why does Harry Potter want to know about Master Draco? And why did Harry Potter bring a burning bird to the kitchen?"

"Um, Dobby. You know how you said you missed Draco?" The elf nodded. "Well, now's your chance to speak to him. Draco is the pheonix." Draco cooed to the elf. Dobby looked closer at the pheonix before his face broke into a large grin.

"Oh! Young Master Draco! Dobby is so happy that Harry Potter brought Master Draco to see Dobby! Dobby missed Master Draco since Harry Potter freed Dobby. Dobby will go fetch Master Draco's favorite meal." The elf snapped his fingers and vanished with a crack. Draco turned to me and did what looked like a shrug.

"Your father didn't know this, but Dobby kept, well, he thought, he was helping me all throughout second year. Your father was mistreating him, so I tricked him into freeing Dobby. He would have killed me, but Dobby saved my life. Dumbledore asked him to work here, and he's trying to convince other elves to free themselves, but he seems to be different than the others." Another crack and Dobby was back, shoving a small dish under Draco's beak.

"Dobby brought juicy scraps of beef to Master Draco. Dobby also brought Master Draco tomato soup with bleu cheese and no crackers just as Dobby remembers." Draco bent to peck at the food while Dobby pulled me aside.

"Dobby thanks Harry Potter for bringing Master Draco. Can Dobby see Master Draco when he is Master Draco again?" His large golden eyes looked up at me, reminding me of a child begging for a bike for Christmas. The image made me smile.

"Dobby, I'm not sure if Draco will still talk to me after this, but I promise that I will make sure he comes down to see you at least once, okay?" The elf embraced my legs and squeezed tightly.

"Dobby loves Harry Potter! Thank you Harry Potter!" The sudden release of my legs made my knees buckle. I was picking myself up off the ground when I saw the elf petting the pheonix gently. "Dobby can't wait to see Master Draco again! Dobby wants Master Draco and Harry Potter to visit Dobby together. Dobby has so much to tell Master Draco!" Draco climbed back up to my shoulder and we left, promising Dobby another visit, and yes, Harry Potter and Master Draco will come back_ together_.

Draco stayed still and silent the whole way back to the clearing. Occasionally, the pheonix would wheeze or shiver, but other than that, nothing. By the time we reached his stable, his shivering wouldn't stop. I placed him on the stable long enough to take off my robe, leaving me in my jeans and shirt. I grabbed him and wrapped him in the cloth, cradling the large bird to my chest. There was no need to ask. I could tell just by his eyes that he wasn't okay. He shook violently and screeched. He struggled in my grip, but I just started petting his head, shushing him.

It wasn't until I was rocking back and forth against the wood of his stable's door that I realized I was on the ground. I sat there in the grass curled around the pheonix's shivering form. The last of his feathers fell off and his screeching quieted into high-pitched cries.

"Draco, calm down. It's going to be alright. If something bad was happening, Hagrid would have done something to stop it." Wouldn't he? Of course, he would! Right? Draco's cries quieted even further and his eyes were closing. My heart was pounding as Draco was, for all I know, dying. It has to be that Dark Mark. Because of that damn mark, he won't eat. He won't sleep. Because of the mark, he is dying. Whether he is or not right now, it's killing him. In my mind, Draco was back to his human form, lying in my arms, shivering and groaning in pain. I pictured Voldemort above us, and for some reason, his parents, chained together and being led by Voldemort. They were deathly pale, terrified, beaten. Words started spilling out of my mouth before I knew what I was saying.

"Draco, listen to me. He may have your parents under his reign, but while you're here, with me, you are untouchable. He may have Marked you, but at Hogwarts, you belong to no one, but yourself. If the Mark is so repulsive that it is killing you, then kill it. Leave that behind and stay here. As long as you are with me, I will protect you with my life, something that the Mark will never give you. Join us, and I promise you, I will die before I see you become _infected_ with anything like this ever again." Draco screeched long and loud. His body thrashed in my grip and he twisted in agony. I felt the ground shaking and heard loud booms rush up to us.

"'Arry! Put Malfoy inn'is stall!" Hagrid was hurrying towards us as I threw the door to the stable open and laid Malfoy on the ground on top of my robes.

"What's happening to him?" I called back. The giant reached the stables and knelt next to me, watching Draco convulse.

"He's dyin', as a Pheoni's. I'll need te get Dumbl'dore. When he's re-born, we'll turn him back. He's ler'nd enough." I sat there helplessly watching Draco twitch and screech in pain. The black lesions on his skin started bubbling, almost as if there were puddles of boiling oil sitting on him. His wings flapped wildly, looking as if he was trying to claw his skin. The largest black spot on his left wing suddenly ignited. Draco shrilled as loud as he could. The flames turned bright green, but the very center of the flame grew darker until it was black. As suddenly as it started, it vanished, along with Draco. In the sudden, suffocating silence, there was nothing but a large pile of ash.

"He's gone," the words practically fell out of my mouth. Panic flooded me. It was like Dumbledore's office in second year all over again. "I didn't know what to do, Hagrid. He seemed better when we went to see Dobby. He ate all of the food Dobby gave him. He was fine until we came back. We-we...Hagrid, he's dead! He's gone! What do we do?" Hagrid shushed me, smothering me with his huge palm. I stopped talking for the simple reason of no air. We sat there in total silence a while before I tapped his knuckle. Hagrid slowly let me go, watching me gasp for air.

"He'll be a'right, 'Arry. Draco 'ill be back in de mornin'. Come strai' here tomorrow." I nodded. The pile of ash sat in the stable, black and smoking. A strong breeze would make it disappear forever. My heart pounded hard. Draco just...vanished. Whatever that black _disease _did, it killed him. "'Arry, go back to yer dorms. Come back firs' thing tomorrow."

The trip back to the Gryffindor Tower was longer than usual. Every step I took made my feet heavier. If Hagrid hadn't have said he would have McGonagall escort me back, I would have stayed. I would have stayed there until Draco came back. Just to make sure he was okay, of course. Not because the idea of Draco dead suddenly made my blood run cold. The largest hope I had, however, was that the fire destroyed that bloody mark on his arm. When he's human again, he will go back to that depressing, life-stealing, routine if that mark was still there. When my head hit my pillow, my body felt like iron sinking into the mattress. The pane window across the room let the moonlight streak the floor with it clean, white light. It made me think if that clean light was shining on that filthy pile of black ash. _That ash better be the remains of the Dark Mark_, I thought. _Voldemort, I will take Draco Malfoy away from you if it's the last thing I do. I promise you that!_


	5. Chapter 5

DRACO's POV:

Pain. That was a great start to a bright, way too bright morning! The light made everything blurry. I remember waking up in the stables. My head felt like it was pounded in by centaurs. I remember Hagrid standing in the doorway, kneeling just to clear the ceiling. His voice was muffled by the ringing in my ears. I remember him carrying me to his hut-house-thing. That huge mutt of his wouldn't stop licking my face when he all but dropped me on his couch. I remember Professor Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey standing over me, trying to ask me questions. Dumbledore had rolled up my sleeves, pausing when my left forearm was visible. My mind was trying to make me say stop, but they weren't fazed. My body felt like I jumped off the Astronomy Tower. Everything was numb and in agonizing pain at the same time. My brain was screaming to move, to speak, to do something, but I lied there, motionless.

"Headmaster," Madam Pomfrey started. "I have to take him to the Hospital Wing now. There is no telling what that Pheonix Fire did to him."

Dumbledore turned to her with a small, warm smile. "Madam, you can take him away soon. We must wait for Mister Potter to see exactly what caused this." He took out his wand. My heart raced when the end tapped my forehead. "_Ennervate!_"

Sound suddenly rushed through my ears and I lept from the large sofa. Two pairs of arms caught me, when at the same time, Potter burst through the door.

"Hagrid, he's not there in the-" his panic stopped when our eyes met. "Draco," he breathed. "Are you-, I mean, is everything-um?" Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore gingerly sat me back down. They turned to face Potter, but stayed in my path, blocking my view.

"I'm bloody brilliant, Potter!" My voice was hoarse and dry, losing the edge I wanted. "You should try bursting into flames," I added. "It's very refreshing."

His voice was quiet, "I was just asking-"

"Yeah, I know. The Savior can't resist mothering his disciples."

"That's enough, you!" Pomfrey spat over her shoulder. They moved over to the absurdly large table in the giant's kitchen. "Need some help, Hagrid?" She walked up to the giant who was banging pots on the stove.

"N'thanks, Pom'fee. I'll make ye some tea while ye talk. Please sit." The teachers sat at the table while Potter moved over to sit by me. I avoided his gaze and rolled my sleeves back down, closing my eyes so I wouldn't see that damn Mark.

"Are you okay, Draco? I thought you were dead." I glanced at the Boy-Who-Lived. His eyes were practically shining with concern. The sight made my stomach turn.

"As you can see, your almighty-" I heard the old healer clear her throat loudly. Her glaring eyes were scary. The words, "I'm fine, Potter," fell out of my mouth and flat on the floor. My hairs stood on end under the scrutiny of his gaze. Dumbledore finally grabbed the Savior's attention with a cough.

"Mister Potter, would you like to explain what happened last night?" Potter shifted in his seat like a virgin in a strip club. His eyes went from the old wizard to me and back.

"I'm sorry, Draco," he muttered. My heart dropped to the ground. I knew exactly what it was, and apparently the Boy Wonder wasn't as thick as he looks. "It was the Dark Mark. Draco was forced to get the Dark Mark before school started, and when he turned into the pheonix, it was spreading through him like poison. It was making his feathers fall off and it eventually killed him, but in my opinion, it was killing him long before he burst into flames."

Dumbledore's eyes did that weird twinkly thing, before he spoke. "In what way, Mister Potter?"

"I can't explain it, Professor. I just know that it was eating away at his life, and-"

"Can we not talk about me like I'm not here?" I spat. "Potter, no matter what your heroic little intuition told you, it wasn't killing me. Even if it was, there's nothing you can do!" I ripped my sleeve open, shoving my arm in his face. "It's still there and there is nothi-," Potter's loud gasp stopped me dead. He stared wide-eyed at the skin of my forearm. Dumbledore was no help. He just watched us, his eyes still twinkling.

"Merlin, Draco!" Potter gaped. "Draco, I-I...I just...how?" A small bubble of hope lept into my chest. The mark didn't shock him like this earlier. The mark would also have the professors quaking in their boots. Instead, they stared at me like I was crazy.

"No," I heard myself say. "No, it-it can't be. No!" My forearm was clean, in every sense of the word. My skin was white and...unmarked! "No, oh Merlin, please, _NO_!" Panic filled every inch of my body. Before I knew what was happening, I had Potter pinned to the floor with my hands around his throat. "This is all your fault, you bastard! She's dead, you git, because of you, _she's dead!_" Two giant hands grabbed my middle and pulled me into a brick wall of a chest. I still kicked and struggled. All I wanted was to kill that messy-mop-headed git! "He's going to kill her when he finds out, Potter! You had no right!"

"I didn't do it, you did!" He yelled. He stood and came so close that I felt his breath on my face. "I told you," through gritted teeth, "that this was your choice. This," he held my bare left arm at eye-level. I yanked it from his grip. "This was killing you, Draco."

"Better me than her!" My outburst didn't faze him.

"I told you that if you chose to stay with us, with Hogwarts, than we will protect you." He poked his finger in my chest, punctuating his next words. "You. Chose. This." He turned to the giant oaf who was still squeezing the life out of my ribcage. "Hagrid, it's okay. Just," he sighed, running a hand through his hair, "let him go." The big oaf dropped me, earning a glare from the other professors. They didn't stop me as I ran out of the door. No one stopped me as I ran straight through the school, as I tickled the pear of the fruit painting, and hid with the house-elves.

* * *

Hiding in the kitchen seemed like a good idea at the time. I figured that I would stay hidden in the kitchen, maybe read some tea leaves. I found myself practicing Divination more and more, to the point where it's my best subject. Prophecies sucked, tea leaves were mind-numbing, but clairvoyance was interesting. I've managed to have deja'vu visions. I wished I had the foresight to see this crisis. Professor Trelawney says I have the eye, whatever that means. Well, me and my eye were just fine hiding. The house-elves bustled around preparing dinner completely ignoring me. The only one who seemed to notice was Dobby. The minute I walked in he followed me around, sensing my unease. We both sat together on the ground far from the group cooking. They almost seemed relieved that Dobby wasn't helping. I remembered him being quite clumsy when he worked at the Manor.

Dobby was mindlessly going on and on about his conflicts with the other house-elves when the door swung open. The elves paused as none other than Harry Potter walked in. Dobby ran up to the brunette, knocking over a pitcher of pumpkin juice, forcing me to stand up to avoid the spill.

The elf ran up to the wizard embracing his legs. "Oh, Harry Potter here to see Dobby?" He looked up at the Boy Wonder with those huge eyes. Potter sighed.

"I'm sorry, Dobby. I'm here looking for Draco." The elf nodded, and with a long look at me, he left to help the elves, much to their dismay. It was childish, I know, but I couldn't look at him. I kept my eyes on the floor while emotions surged through me. I still wanted to choke him, but I also wanted to curl up in a ball and stay hidden until the inevitable revenge of the Dark Lord. Surely he knows that I'm unmarked by now. It's only a matter of time before he turns his wand on the nearest Malfoy.

Potter suddenly spoke. "It's your mother, isn't it?" I jumped when I looked up to see green eyes less than a foot away. My heart pounded in my ears and my palms were sweaty. The image of him cradling me, rocking back and forth, his eyes blazing with anger popped into my head. The sight only made my heart beat faster. Words were stuck in my throat and my mouth was sealed shut. Thankfully, Potter was an impatient arse. "Draco?" he asked. "It's your mother that Voldmeort," he paused as if expecting me to react. He continued when I shrugged. "-that Voldemort is threatening to kill?" He huffed impatiently when I shrugged again.

"What of it, Potter?" I sneered. He stepped back a bit, but stayed close to me. My hands ached to close around his throat. Damn Gryffindor-hearted git! "Are you planning on swooping in and rescuing the damsel? Saving the poor Death Eater from his horrible fate? Do you think that this is just going to end happily ever after? That I'm just going to drop on my knees, kiss your arse, and beg you to save us? That I was going to give the Weasel and the Mudblood," Potter clenched his fists, "a big hug, a kiss, and just sing merry little tunes about the Boy-Who-Lived in their little grovel? I'm not your new little convert. I'm not a Mudblood worshipper."

"Draco," he cut in, "you are also not a Death Eater." My mouth shut with an audible snap and my body sagged into the wall. The anger, the hate, and everything else drained, taking all my energy with it. There was nothing left of me but sheer terror.

"I know, Potter." He watched me as I sank back to the floor and took fistfuls of hair. I didn't even have to look to know he sat beside me. Our shoulders bumped and a spark ran through my arm. Stupid static! "What do I do?" I groaned. "I can't let her die, Potter."

"If I had realized it was her," Potter started, "I would have told Dumbledore the minute I set foot on school grounds. He would have snuck her here within the week. Now," he sighed. "Now, it'll be tough to find her alone."

"What are you on about?" He ignored me.

"I didn't see him grab her." He leaned his head back to bang it on the wall softly. Something inside me lept in my throat when I noticed his Adam's apple move. He closed his eyes and spoke again. "I just saw you standing in front of him. He was frustrated. You weren't going to take the Mark and he was pissed. I heard you yell when he grabbed someone. He knew you were going to attack him. He was hoping for it." Potter paused to rub his eyes. "_'You are so weak_'," his voice dropped and hissed. A chill ran through me as the Dark Lord's voice came out of Potter's mouth. "He was thinking that. I can't tell you how bad he wanted to kill you. It was so bad that I was halfway down my street when I woke up. My wand was in my hand and if you were anywhere near me, I would have killed you." The certainty in his voice made my blood cold. "Draco, he made me watch. He knew I was there and he _made_ me watch. He made me see everything, Draco. Your tears, you falling to your knees, and-...seeing you here with that mark and watching what it was doing to you. Draco, he knew the mark was killing you. He didn't care."

"How do you know, Potter?" I asked. Surely he's not saying what I think he's saying. Severus has told me about cases before, but...

"Voldemort and I are connected." Nope, it's exactly what I was thinking. "What he sees and feels comes to me through dreams."

The question came out before I could stop it. "Are you getting Occulmency training?"

He laughed, humorlessly. "I was with Snape in fifth year. I had to because Voldemort found out about our connection and was using it to lure me to him."

"Did it work?"

"The training? No. The visions? Yes, it killed my godfather." Potter took off his glasses and ruffled his hair. "I've already told you alot, Draco. I just felt you had the right to know. He was planning on you to die." I opened my mouth to say no, he didn't. He wouldn't have if he told me to kill Dumbledore, but he held up a hand. "I know he assigned the task to kill Dumbledore to you, but he already told Snape to finish the job." He grit his teeth, almost hissing as he breathed.

"Harry," the name was weird to use, but Potter looked up anyway. "I can't let my mother die. If I live without this mark...I mean, if snake-face doesn't get what he wants-"

"She's dead, I know." He finished in a cold tone. "That's why you are coming with me." He stood and held his hand out to me. "What I have planned is risky and far-fetched, but I know in my heart that it will work. It will keep your mother alive." My hand took his with a loud slap, and I was suprised to feel that little jolt again, but I shook it off.

"Count me in, then, Potter." He pulled me up and started towards the door, but I stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. He stared wide-eyed at it briefly before looking at me. "But if your plan doesn't work, Potter, if she dies?" His eyes grew wider as I came within inches of him. "I will not be held responsible for whatever happens."

"You'll have to act fast, though, Draco." He answered with certainty. "If she dies because of me, there's no telling what I'll do."


	6. Chapter 6

**Here we go: yay!**

* * *

Before the Christmas holiday started, the Great Hall erupted in chatter as the Daily Prophets fell in front of them with the headline that was practically screaming:

_**Tragedy Strikes Hogwarts**_

**Students mourn the loss of fellow student, Draco Malfoy.**

Hedwig hooted softly as I took my copy from her. She took off after sneaking a bite of bacon from my plate. I pushed it away. Even though the plan went down without a hitch, I still couldn't help but be in a mood. After the supposed death of Draco, Gryffindors of all ages were guiltily bouncing with cheer. It was as if it was Voldemort who drowned instead of one of our classmates, who done nothing more but be an arse.

"Can you believe this?" Ron exclaimed holding Neville's copy. The story told of a tragic accident where a jinxed broom at Quidditch practice sent Draco hurtling straight into the Black Lake where he apparently drowned. The paper said that this morning a splintered broom and a broken hawthorn wand was found on the shore. Lucius Malfoy was furious. He came to Dumbledore's office demanding that his body be found and that he should take better measures to ensure the safety of his students. "It says that no matter how hard they try to search, the git's body can't be found. A stubborn arse until the end, eh?"

"Ronald!" Hermoine scolded, slapping him on the shoulder. "He may have been vile, but it's still incredibly disrespectful to talk about him like that now." They glared at each other before turning to their plates. My fork scraped the plate, pushing the food around half-heartedly. I jumped when Hermoine's hand held mine. "I'm sorry, Harry. I know you wanted to help him, but it's all going to be okay soon." The lack of sympathy in her eyes made me yank my hand away. She pulled back, wounded by my rejection.

"Sooner than you think, mate." Ron said, his eyes glued to the Prophet. He shoveled a fork full of eggs in his mouth before he spoke, "Pretty soon, it will go from fake 'We miss you, Draco's to house-wide stories that start with 'Remember the ferret...?'." My mind swam with rage. Even if he was dead, Ron needs to get over that childish grudge. I stood suddenly, shocking the Gryffindors. Ron finally looked up at me, but drew back at my expression. Hermoine curled in on herself, waiting for the outburst.

"What makes the two of you think he got what he deserves? What could you possibly know about him that makes you so much better? Because you're not a pureblood?" Hermoine dropped her gaze, focusing it on her plate. "Or maybe because you're not a Malfoy?" Ron looked as if I slapped him. "I'm so sick and tired of watching all of you be so childish and hateful towards each other. How the hell am I supposed to fight for you if all you," I yelled the next three words, shocking the entire hall, "_CHILDISH LITTLE BRATS_," I lowered my voice again, "are only interested is fighting each other?"

"Mate," Ron said softly, "Malfoy wasn't on our side. He's a death eater-"

"_WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HIM, WEASLEY?!_" Ron's ears turned blood red and my heart fell. I've never called him that. The only one that calls him that..."I've gotta go." I muttered before I all but bolted out of the hall.

I paced in front of the Room of Requirement while a small, plain wooden door materialized. The room inside caused me to pause. Apparently, Draco took to redecorating while the school was learning about his demise. The room was painted in shades of golds and blues. Instead of the plain full-sized bed that was in the corner, it was a king-size bed in the center of the room with what looked like ten pillows of different sizes and a huge navy blue comforter. I shook my head with a huff. On the other side of the room was a bathroom, where light and steam was pouring through the door. I could hear clinking and shuffling as Malfoy took his shower. He'd be livid if he walked out to see me waiting.

"Malfoy!" I called out.

There was a loud thud and cursing before Draco called back, "Bloody hell, Potter. Does your muggles not knock on the door?!"

"Muggles don't knock on a dead bloke's door." The joke was dry, but it got a sarcastic chuckle in reply.

"Is that why people flock to you?" The water shut off and a moment later, Draco walked out dripping wet, a towel knotted around his waist. "I never realized that you were coveted for your stunning wit." He recovered his clothes from the absurdly large bed, sniffing them in revulsion. "I know that even muggles don't wear the same clothes every single day. I need more, unless my death is truly the end to these means."

"You are such a woman!" He glared with his hands on his hips, not helping his case. "I'll bring some of my, well...gently used hand-me-downs. They'll be huge on you, but they'll be clean." Draco rolled his eyes, pulling his underwear on under his towel.

"So you're saying," he said as he bent to pull on his pants, "that I am now in the same wagon as the Weasleys right now. I betrayed my family and their cause so now I am punished by wearing hand-me-downs?" He pulled the towel off and fastened his pants, drawing my eyes to the brief glimpse of black satin boxers. My view wandered up his flat stomach to his gorgeous chest. My mouth suddenly went dry. I was thankful for a moment when Draco turned his back to me, but then I saw how the pants he wore hugged his curves. A small squeak left my mouth. I tried my hardest to make that into a cough, but Draco's quick look at me told me he heard it. He slipped his shirt on, ruffled his soaked hair, then slicked it back. He shrugged at my raised eyebrow, "My products were with my personal effects. If it was missing, it would look suspicious." Something was off as he faced me, that something else was missing. It wasn't until he slicked his hair back again that it occured to me.

"You don't have your ring." I pointed out. Draco glanced at his hand and rubbed the worn area of his finger, frowning.

"I had to give it up. I knew Father would try to find my body himself, so I took the ring off and let it sink in the lake." Draco shivered, looking green around the edges. I could remember that same look on his face when I pulled him from the lake. It took all of his will to wait until he was fully hidden to vomit. It was hours before he spoke sense. His eyes had been blank the entire evening in shock. The name 'Irissia' was all he said until sunrise the next morning. His eyes burned with both humiliation and anger. He practically spat venom at me, "I still can't believe you made me go in there, Potter." It was my turn to roll my eyes.

"I had to, Malfoy. It was the only way to fake your death with no body." He sat on the bed in defeat. He wrapped his arms around himself, rocking slightly. "Draco, I know it was hard to face your fear like that-"

"You don't know anything about fear!" he spat.

"Is that right?" Draco nodded, white as a sheet. A sudden thought clicked inside my head. Dumbledore had mentioned that we were from two opposite sides of not only the war, but also the entire Wizarding world all together. Our entire relationship has been one misunderstanding after another. He suggested getting to know each other. What better and quicker way than this? "Stand up, Malfoy." He looked up at me through a curtain of his wet hair. His eyebrows rose in question. The thought of this sent my heart racing and my palms sweaty, but this will end so many stupid fights. If I was destined to end the biggest war in Wizarding history, then I'm damn capable of ending this bullshit. "Stand up and take my wand. You are going to see me. The real me, for everything I am. You know Leglimency, yes?" He stood, his eyes wide and his head shaking.

"Potter, you are off your bloody rocker! Do you have any idea what kind of power you're giving me here?"

"No, but then you must have some idea about how much I'm trusting you to do this right." I held out my wand to him. He looked at it like it was a vicious animal, ready to attack. "You look through my head, and if you're willing, I would like to look through yours. I've got a feeling that we are never going to trust each other unless we know each other inside and out." Draco laughed humorlessly.

"See if you said that over dinner or something, I would have said 'Have at me'." I gaped at him, getting another laugh from him. "You didn't know I was gay, did you?" I shook my head. "It's one of the worst kept secrets in Slytherin." He shook his head, plucking the wand from my hand. He twirled it with his long fingers before pointing it at my feet. "Alright, Potter, if you're willing to get down on your knees for me," he grinned as my face blazed red, "I guess I can take a crack at it."

My heart beat hard in my chest as I knelt at Draco's feet. The walls around my mind were almost impossible to bring down as I watched Malfoy, Malfoy of all people, pointing _my _wand at my forehead.

"Just a warning, Potter. Everything in that skull of yours is fair game."

I nodded, choking a bit before I got my voice back. "Everything in here has brought me to this point." The hand holding my wand trembled. Draco had a look caught between fear and anticipation. "There are things in here that no one knows, Draco. I hope you have it in you to keep it that way." The challenge made him smirk.

"I'm a Slytherin, Potter," he assured, raising the wand, "You know how we are with valuable information on our rivals. _Legilemens!_" My head surged with images as the obviously overwhelmed Slytherin submerged himself in my mind.

He sped through my thoughts, going back further than I could remember. The early memories were mainly strong emotions as opposed to images. I felt so much love that my heart was bursting out of my chest, then I felt a gaping hole as it was ripped away. I could tell without hearing the all too familiar scream that it was the memory of my mother.

_"Are you sure you want to leave him here with these muggles?"_ McGonagall's voice drifted through me, followed by Dumbledore's assurance, _"He will be safe, Minerva."_ Malfoy sped through the memories of my younger childhood with a sneer.

_**Always fussed over, eh, Potter?**_ His voice rang through my head.

_**Just watch, Malfoy.**_ I pushed my thoughts out to wrap around his form and pulled him into the most brutal memory of the Dursleys. It was the earliest memory I had of using magic.

_Dudley pinned me at the base of the stairs. He was only six years old at the time, punching me in the face. He has already hit me so many times I lost count. "You're such a little ponce, Potter!" I was begging him to stop before he broke something. It would be another broken bone they wouldn't fix. Another injury that I 'deserved'. I don't know what I did this time to make Dudley unhappy. All I could think is that if Uncle Vernon saw blood on the carpet or Dudley's knuckles, that I would be in trouble. I could hear loud pounding footsteps coming towards the stairs. Dudley had already smeared blood on his face and started tearing up. "Daddy!" he yelled. The footsteps rushed closer. Uncle Vernon turned the corner, red-faced and fuming. "You little freak!" he spat. "What have you done now?!" Dudley started sobbing. It sounded fake even to me. "He hit me!" I couldn't understand. I was the one being pinned. I was the one bloodied and beaten, but judging from the look on Uncle Vernon's face, he didn't care. "Petunia, wet some towels for Dudley." he called to the kitchen. Aunt Petunia, having heard everything, was getting the towels, hiccuping about the little demon they were forced to raise. Fear put everything into 20/20 vision when the huge man's meaty hand grabbed me by the throat. Dudley ran to the kitchen, giggling shamelessly. A large hand came down on my cheek, stinging horribly and making my vision go blurry. "You think you're special, boy?" Another slap. "You are nothing, Potter. NOTHING!" Three more slaps, until suddenly he was gone. Two girlish shrieks came from the kitchen. Foolishly, I ran to see what happened. My uncle's fat head was stuck on the outside of the patio door while his body was flailing inside. Aunt Petunia glared daggers at me before taking me by the ear and locking me in the cupboard under the stairs, leaving me hyperventilating in the crushing darkness. _

_**This is also when I realized I was claustrophobic, **_I said as I ended the memory. We were temporarily left hovering in my psyche with nothing around us. He stared, awestruck.

_**I had no idea, Pot-, I mean, Harry. **_He tripped over my name with effort, so I had to ask why. _**Because, I see who else called you Potter and now I see why you always used to look so...wounded when I called you that. Harry, **_he said with obvious strain_**, this can go both ways. You showed the source of your claustrophobia. I'll show you my aquaphobia.**_

_**Draco, **_I started, but he cut me off as he pulled me into his memories.

_**I know you heard the name Irissia earlier. **_His voice echoed as the lawn of Malfoy Manor formed around us. We were at the very rear of the land, past the garden. _**Mother told us to not go pass the garden. We should have listened. **_There was so much sorrow in his voice. At the edge of the property was a small lake, so clear that it was a perfect mirror to the night sky. A little boy with a messy crop of white hair ran up to the banks, splashing the water at an older girl who came running up behind him. She squealed before returning the play. _**She was nine at the time and I was five. Irissia was my older sister. **_His voice faded as the memory consumed us.

_"Drakey?" the girl sang. "We need to go back. Mommy said we're not allowed." The little boy shoved his chubby arms into the water, taking joy in the ripples and swirls he made. "Mermaids, Issy! Mermaids!" He looked up at his sister, with love and adoration in his eyes. He felt a sense of duty to his sister, even at such a young age. They promised that they would fight the evil snake-face so everyone would be happy and they could play with the red-haired boys again. Father said they were bad people. Mommy told them the truth. Father's friends were bad people, and they needed to be good so they could protect each other. "I mean it, Dray, we need to-" Little Draco looked up in alarm when his sister screamed. A tall, looming figure stood over them pointing his wand at them. "Now, didn't Mommy and Daddy tell you not to stay out so late? Kiddies could get hurt." He took Issy's arm in a rough grip and yanked her to him. She struggled but he held her, ripping her tights and her shirt. "There are monsters out here, children." Draco sprang into action. He leapt up on the large man's, pounding his fist into the man's broad back screaming for help. He felt a hand grab him by the hair, and then he was airborne. He hit the water hard, making him lose his senses briefly, but he swam to the surface, seeing the huge man pin his sister down. His mind wasn't able to process what was happening. All he knew was that his sister was crying and he couldn't save her. He couldn't be a good boy and fight off the bad man. His strength was failing fast and he sank lower and lower. His lungs burned and he struggled to break the surface, but it seemed the more he struggled, the further he sank. His last sight before his vision blacked out was the body of a little girl getting thrown into the water with him, blood curling through the water like smoke._

_**STOP! **_My mind yelled. The sadness and the fear was crushing my lungs. I felt as if I was drowning, too. _**Stop, stop, STOP! **_Suddenly, I was lying face-first in the Room of Requirement, on hard wood instead of wet grass, breathing in air instead of water. Sobs were ripping from my chest before I could stop myself. _Merlin_, _he was only five! _I screamed in my head. I pounded my fists into the floor until I felt the warm trickle of blood run down my fingers.

"Harry," Draco said, with as much sadness as I felt. The sound did nothing but made me sob harder. "We don't have to do this," he offered. "We can just talk."

"No!" I spat. "Just give me a minute." I sat up on my knees to look at what become of that sad little boy. Tears flowed freely from Draco's eyes. My heart almost stopped. His last thoughts before he almost died were why he couldn't be the hero. Why couldn't he have swooped in and saved the damsel? Draco's words from Hagrid's hut rang in his ears. "I get it, Draco. You hate what I represent."

"And you hate bullies." he added. "I get it, too, Harry. I'm sorry for everything I said. I just felt like I needed to blast you off that high pedestal of yours-"

"It's a pedestal I don't even want." We shared a heavy look. The two memories we shared were flowing back and forth between us. Tears for both pasts were shed.

Then Draco held out his hand and smiled. "I'm Draco Malfoy, and I am definitely the wrong sort." The mental image of sixteen-year-old Draco's words coming out of eleven-year-old Draco's mouth made me laugh.

I took his hand and we shook. "Harry Potter, and I believe I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks." Judging by the honest grin on Draco's face, he was as relieved as I was that the bullshit between us was almost over.


	7. Chapter 7

DRACO'S POV:

I sighed, my heart still pounding. Pott-I mean, Harry reacted to my memory better than I thought. I wouldn't have been suprised if he bolted from the room. I would have if I was him, which made me even more wary of his mind-melding idea. What has he seen that made the murder of a little girl bearable? What has happened to him to make him so damaged? So desperate to help me?

The sight of his cousin, then his uncle beating him made me shift my view on the Boy-Who-(Miraculously)-Lived. He wasn't the worshipped, idolized pretty boy I thought he was in first year. My father swore that he was raised in a world of silk sheets and endless spoils, not unlike myself. I walked into Hogwarts picturing a proud young hero, but instead, I was turned down by a skinny beggar-looking boy. I could tell by his tattered, oversized clothes alone that something was off. It was the first time in my life since Issy died that I didn't know what to think. That the trust in my family faltered. Watching Harry grow up only made the feeling worsen, which only made me that much angrier. Who does he think he is? I remembered thinking. What makes him think he can just walk in here and make me hate my own side? Fourth year had been the worst. That dumbass Barty Crouch had to trick Harry into bringing Snake-Face back. I remember having to leave the maze when he came back with Diggory's body. Those tears on Harry's face. How desperately he was begging people to listen to him. Pleading with Diggory's father to forgive him...fighting off anyone who tried to drag him away. I, at first, thought that the sight was disgusting, but looking back now, it wasn't Harry that I was disgusted with. I was in fear for myself. If the Dark Lord was back, that would mean one day, he will make it my mission to bring those tears back. To make Harry scream in agony. Possibly, to make Harry beg to be...Even now, I can't finish the thought.

"Draco," Harry's voice pulled me back to reality. His wide bright eyes were concerned. "You want to give it another try?"

"Yeah." I straightened my robes. Harry went back to kneeling on the floor. Harry on his knees sent a whole mirage of crude images through my head. I shook it off and raised my wand. "Are you ready?" Harry nodded, biting his lips to stay silent. He was hesitant. After the first try, I don't blame him. I took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. "_Legilimens_."

Harry's mind rushed at me so suddenly I felt my knees give out from under me. Sounds and colors sped past like a stampede of ghosts. In the distance, I heard him cry out. I tumbled into a memory of King's Cross Station.

_Harry looked like he did in first year, pushing a cart full of luggage and a cage with a large snowy owl, with the price tag still attatched. He was looking around the muggles' station with large, round eyes as if he was lost. He still felt embarrassed from being blown off by that muggle guard. 9 and 3/4, he thought. He had to find Platform 9 and 3/4. Harry's head whipped around when he heard a red-haired woman use the word 'muggle'. He waited until they passed to follow them, but he rushed up to them when they stopped. He hesitated when he saw the older boys run through the column in between the numbers nine and ten. When he saw that the others were next, he sprung into action. "Excuse me!" he called. The red-headed family turned and the dark-haired boy cowered under their gaze. "C-could you show me how to...to...?" He gestured blankly to the wall. The woman laughed merrily. "How to get on the platform?" she asked. Harry nodded. "Oh, dear, it's easy." She pointed to the wall, "You just walk straight at the wall between the platforms nine and ten. I suggest making it a run if you're nervous." She smiled warmly. "Ron, Ginny, come on then." The lady patted Harry's shoulder and urged him forward. "Go along, dear. We'll be right behind you." Harry faced the wall and took a deep breath before charging forward. He shut his eyes tightly as the wall swallowed him and he was thrust onto Platform 9 and 3/4. He stared in amazement at the numbers of witches and wizards bustling around him. The large scarlet train sitting there was enough to take his breath away. He felt a surge of bliss as the realization hit him that this was real. This is really happening. _

The memory faded. He could feel echoes of that happiness in himself and in Harry. _**That was the first adult I met other than Hagrid that was kind to me for no reason, **_Harry thought. _**Before I met them, I was prepared to die in the life I had. Every punch in the face, every kick in my ribs, every single time I was pushed down the stairs, I prayed that they took it one too far. Becoming a wizard saved my life, only to put me in the hands of another sadistic maniac. **_A memory of Hogwarts came forward, but this one was darker.

_The forest in first year, Harry and an eleven-year-old Draco were walking through the trees stopping when they came up on a hooded figure and the body of a unicorn. The blond haired boy ran screaming for help while the other boy stayed behind. As the hooded figure came towards him, the boy collapsed in pain, holding his forehead. __**First year is when I learned how to tell if Voldemort is near me, **_his voice continued, _**My scar burns when he's near.**_

_**So that was the Dark Lord? **_The question was answered by another memory coming into focus. _Harry was standing at a mirror in a dungeon at Hogwarts. Professor Quirrel stood behind him, glaring at the boy. "Where is the stone?" he spat. Harry's reflection took a stone out of his pocket, winking at the real Harry, and put it back. Professor Quirrel didn't seem to notice, even when Harry found that the real stone was suddenly in his pocket. _The memory sped until the room was enveloped in flames. _Harry's scar was in agony. He fought to stay standing as the professor, now with two conjoined heads, stood in the center of the room. The man was demanding the stone, promising Harry his mother and father. Harry, for a single dark moment, held the stone in his hand, ready to give it up. Then he gripped it hard, shouting "Never!" "Kill him!" The second head roared. Harry was suddenly pinned to the steps and Professor Quirrel's hand was crushing his windpipe. Harry's blood rushed through his ears with a dull roar as he reached as far as he could to get the stone._

I was thrown out of the memory and before I could right myself, I was yanked into another.

_It was dark, cold, and wet down here. A twelve-year-old Harry held his wand in shaking hands as he approached huge stone head at the end of the room. There was a body lying on the ground. Harry prayed that the girl was okay. The way her red hair fanned out around her head, there was no way to tell if there was blood. There was also an older boy, tall and slender with curly hair. He was an okay-looking guy, until Harry noticed his cold, lifeless eyes. He wrote out the name 'Tom Marvolo Riddle' in flames before rearranging them into 'I Am Lord Voldemort'. _The image blurred into a gigantic snake, a basilisk, chasing Harry down the long room. _Harry's eyes kept going back to the little girl unconscious on the ground. He had to save her. Let him die if that means saving her. Harry tripped. He quickly covered his face in case the basilisk came face to face with him. He heard a musical shrill and a roar. When he looked up, Fawkes, the pheonix, had clawed out the giant snake's eyes. _When the memory shifted, he was back at the head of the room, crawling to the little Weasley girl. _Harry fought the agony in his arm as he went to Ginny, ignoring Voldemort standing inches away from him. The taller man laughed at Harry. He managed to kill the basilisk, but only impaling his arm on the beast's fang in the process. Harry could feel the venom like liquid fire through his veins and his vision was fading fast. He took the small book from the red-haired girl and stabbed it with the fang he pulled from his own arm. If he was going to die here, Voldemort's apparition was going with him. _

I ended the spell with a gasp from both of us. Harry was curled on the floor again, holding the very arm that he injured years ago. "Can I see?" I heard myself ask. His eyes found mine. They were red and swollen. Tears were still drying on his cheeks. "How many times since you came to Hogwarts have you been prepared to die?" He laughed bitterly.

"A few times each year. I thought last year would definitely be my last."

"Tell me." I said, not wanting to go back into his head. If the years after second year were any worse, the memories would make me go mad. I especially didn't want to see Diggory die. Seeing Harry in that kind of grief, I was sure the memory would leave me catatonic.

"In fifth year, I started seeing Voldemort in my dreams. He was sending me visions of people he killed, tortured, and," he took a deep breath, "nearly killed. I knew I needed help when I saw him nearly kill Ron's dad. Snape and I started our Occumenlcy lessons. Needless to say, I suck at it."

"I would think so. You're more transparent than a window." His glare was met with a smirk. "Plus," I added. "Gryffindors are known for their cluttered heads."

"Not helping, Draco. You remember that day when Fred and George tore up the school before leaving?" I nodded. "Well, during the chaos, I collapsed."

"I think I remember that." He gave me a nod.

"Voldemort sent me a vision of my godfather being tortured in the Department of Mysteries. Hermoine tried to get me to stay at Hogwarts, saying the vision was a fake." He yanked his glasses off and held them in clenched fists. The frames squeaked as they were bent. "If I had just stopped and listened to her. If I had took a minute to think instead of flying off the fucking handle!" In a blink, he was up and across the room. I stayed where I was, not knowing how to react. He stood with his back to me trembling. He suddenly lunged at the wall, punching it with a wordless yell. I rushed over to him. He hit the floor with a thud as I kneeled beside him.

"Harry?" He shook his head.

"He wasn't there. Voldemort tricked me and I fell for it. I went there, dragging my friends and what was left of my family into danger. It got Sirius killed, Draco." I fought the urge to cry out when he grabbed my shoulders and shook me. "He didn't deserve to die. He didn't deserve any of this. Everything that has happened to him was because of me." He released me and walked away. I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but he spoke. "Voldemort kept saying that we were the same, that I would be just like him."

"No!" I said, suprising us both. He waited for me to finish with his arms crossed, one hand fidgeting with his crooked glasses. "I've seen him, Harry. I've seen what he can do. What he enjoys to do. You are nothing like him. He would have never hopped on a broom, which he has never flown, to chase after some kid's toy. He would have never gone through the trouble of brewing Polyjuice potion just to spend twenty minutes interrogating me in the Slytherin common room."

"How did you know?" He exclaimed.

"Harry, Crabbe was sprouting red hair, Goyle wore glasses, Granger was a cat the next day, and they all had no idea how it happened. You have to give me credit, Harry. I'm not completely thick." I rolled my eyes for effect, and he shrunk in on himself. "As I was saying, Snake-Face would have never spent over an hour in the Black Lake trying to save people that weren't even in danger."

"I didn't know they weren't in danger." He mumbled, but I ignored it for now.

"Do you think he would get in that overstuffed pink poodle's face and demand that the death of a fellow student be acknowledged?" Harry flinched, rubbing the top of one of his hands with his thumb. "You had that special little punishment of hers didn't you?" He nodded. "I figured. It hurts like hell." His eyes widened before looking at my clean, unmarred hands. "It's under this arm." I gripped the bicep of my right arm, feeling the raised edges of letters on the underside. "Anyway, Harry, do you get my point?" He shrugged, looking at the damage he caused his frames. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, before opening them again. When we looked back at the glasses, they were fully repaired. I fought to keep my jaw from dropping. Count on him to know wandless magic. A warm tingle ran through my arms, almost as if they wanted to touch him. I balled my fists and caught my lip between my teeth in case something stupid wanted to slip out. He cleaned the lens on his robes before putting them back on. He fiddled with them before pushing them up his nose. The way his nose scrunched was adorable.

He cleared his throat before speaking. "Draco, I don't know what to tell you. Even the prophecy thinks we're one and the same. We're so alike that apparently one has to kill the other. I'll either be a murderer or another fatality. Dumbledore tried to decipher the nonsense, but it's all gibberish."

"If you write it down, I could take a swing at it." His brows furrowed in confusion. I shrugged, "I'm not exactly a Seer...yet, but Divination is my best subject. I learned to speak prophecy, so maybe, just maybe-"

"Then Hermoine has to know about this. She has the only written copy and she won't let me anywhere near it."

"Why?"

"I tried to run away from everyone this summer. The only one who knew was Hermoine. She tracked me down and convinced me to stay put. She promised me that the translation of the prophecy we have isn't the only one. Since the year started, she's been reading it over, referencing every Divination book in the library."

"She's right about the multiple meanings." Was all I could say. I didn't want to involve Mudbl-I mean, Granger. She would then tell Weasley and I doubt there's a such thing as secrets in that rabbit family of theirs. Weasley, knowing that spineless git, would sell it out to the nearest Death Eater, and then buy popcorn for my execution. "Harry, tell Granger if you must, but no one else, not even Weasley."

Harry sneered, "I would kiss a Blast-Ended Screwt before I tell Ron."

"He was that happy to see me dead?" He nodded. Looking into Harry's eyes, there was a brief glimpse of guilt. He looked away. "Would you have been?"

"After what I saw this summer, no."

"And before?" He bit his bottom lip then ran for the door.

"I'm going to track down Hermoine. Call Dobby if you need anything. I'll be back before the end of the day." He didn't wait for an answer as he slammed the door shut.

_Got a good view of his ass,though, didn't you, Draco? _A voice whispered. I shivered. That voice sounded a lot like a snakey-faced son of a bitch. Maybe I just imagined it. Either way, I slammed up walls of steel around my thoughts. The voice laughed coldly before retreating. Harry needs to get back here soon. This room is already trying to make me go crazy...


	8. Chapter 8

DRACO POV:

The day must have suddenly changed so it lasted forever. Hours passed in the blink of an eye and before I knew it, the room's enchanted window lost the sun and was now pitch black with little stars here and there. I sat at the foot of my bed this entire time, watching the door. It was all I could do until I could get my hands on my belongings. The Ministry is probably tearing through it, keeping anything valuable while telling the Aurors that it's "suspect" and requires further investigation. I snorted. Father may have already sifted through it, removing all of the Dark objects I inherited. The ring, though. Has he gotten it? I wasn't very deep when I dropped it. Was he distraught to see that I wasn't attatched to it? Or is he already in the process of making another heir?

I shuddered, thinking about Mother. My chest ached for some parchment and a quill. I wanted to tell her, but how could I? My eyes stung and I swallowed down the large lump in my throat. Some part inside of me wanted nothing better than to throw myself on the floor, kicking and screaming, crying out for her. I haven't done that since I was three. Father hated it and Issy..., I sighed.

I miss her so much. I smiled, laying down across the bed. She would have liked Harry, maybe even fancied him. We were always so much alike. I bet she would have seen the signs of Harry's abuse right away. She would have loved Granger, and thrilled to see Weasley again. Harry would have liked her too. Her and Cho Chang were twins in figure, but polar opposites in appearance. Issy's skin was paler than mine, but with the right shade of green, she glowed like an angel. Her hair was long and flowing like silk and it was the color of fresh snow. Her large, bright eyes were blue and gray, almost like a frozen ocean. She looked like an ice queen, but when you looked her in the eyes, or talked to her, she was as warm and inviting as a fireplace during a blizzard.

Again, she probably would have fancied Harry. She would have loved Harry's messy, black hair. His gorgeous, bright-as-a-wildfire, green eyes, even if they are subdued by those horrible glasses. She would have loved that scar. Remind him that somehow it makes him look so much better. His shy smile, when he's in large crowds, but then that larger-than-life, brilliant smile when's he flying, or with just his friends. Her heart would skip a beat every time he smiled like that. She would feel an almost twisted thrill when his face would twist with rage. He is so easy to anger. His strong arms and his rough hands grabbing her by the shoulders and shoving her into the wall. His lips pressing into hers, demanding entrance, biting her bottom lip. His hands all over the place, until suddenly she feels his hand cupping her hardness...My thoughts hit a screeching halt. I sat up, breathing hard and cold sweat dripping down my neck. I groaned when I felt how tight my pants were. Merlin, I'm going mental. Where the hell was he?!

"Dobby!" I called. The little elf appeared with a crack. He bowed, his large ears brushing the floor. He looked absolutely ridiculous. He was wearing almost six pairs of socks, none of them matching. He had two scarves wrapped around his neck, one from Gryffindor and the other from Slytherin, and he had four hats, one on top of the other, piled on his head.

"What does Master Draco require, sir?" His eyes glittered with joy and his grin went from one ear to the other. I didn't remember him ever being this happy at the Manor.

"I want you to see what is taking Harry so long. He said he would be back by the end of the day." Dobby bowed again before vanishing. He was gone for all of five minutes before reappearing, looking alarmed.

"Master Draco, sir! Master Harry was in the Gryffindor common room talking to Miss Granger when the young Mister Weasley overheard them. He rushed over to them and started yelling at them. He asked Master Harry why he was doing this, but then Miss Granger pulled him close and whispered something to him. Master Harry then nodded, and sir, Dobby tried to stop before Master Harry could get hurt, but Dobby is so small and so...ugh!" He ran over to the bed and started banging his head on the footboard. "Ah! Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!" I rushed over and held him, shushing him like I used to when I was a child.

"Dobby, calm down. It's not your fault. Just tell me what happened." What did that red-headed git do now?

Dobby spoke in between pants, wringing his hands. "Mister Weasley...he pushed Master Harry...calling Master Harry names...Master Harry didn't fight back until...until Mister Weasley called him a ponce...then Master Harry tackled Mister Weasley and they started fighting." He took a deep breath and continued, "Miss Granger tried to break it up with her wand, but it wouldn't work. Dobby never seen Master Harry so angry. Mister Weasley punched him calling him a traitor. Master Harry kicked him calling him an arse. Dobby called for Master Harry to come with Dobby. Master Harry looked at Dobby, but then Mister Weasley rushed into Master Harry, shoving Master Harry until Master Harry hit the table with his head. Miss Granger screamed when Miss Granger saw Master Harry bleeding. Master Harry wouldn't wake up, and Mister Weasley pushed Dobby out of the way and ran out of the room. Sir, Dobby heard Mister Weasley say Mister Weasley was going to kill a weasel." _Oh no._ The room exploded with the sound of loud pounding. Dobby shrieked and my heart fell into my feet. _I'm going to really die, _I thought.

"_Open the door, you bastard!" _Weasley yelled, his booming voice echoing through the small room. "_Open it before I blast it!"_

"As if you possibly have the skill to accomplish it!" I yelled back. The minute the words left my mouth, I felt like an idiot. The minute the door exploded into shrapnel under the force of Weasley's spell, I felt like a downright dumbass. Dobby cringed and vanished.

I barely had time to prepare myself before his bulk crashed into me. My head cracked against the stone floor, my sight blacking out for a split second. A large fist hit my right cheek, pain blossoming through my head and blood in my mouth. I blocked the next blows and managed to curl on my side, spitting blood out at Weasley's feet. He stood up. I chanced a look at his face. His mouth was twisted in a sneer. His cheek was slowly turning purple where Harry had hit him. His eyes, I shuddered, his eyes were cold with hate, but years with my father have left me used to this.

"Get up!" He spat. "Get up, you traitorous little ferret." I sat up on my knees, refusing to stand. I held out my hands in surrender.

"I assure you, Weasley, I am no traitor to you." Another punch across my face. This time he left a cut on my cheek. "We needed to find a way to protect someone I love," I paused to spit out more blood, "so I am sorry to raise your hopes of my demise."

"Shut up! You don't care about anything but yourself! You just want to be on the winning side."

"Weasley, the entire world is playing into the Dark Lord's hands. I doubt the world is willing to follow the Boy-Who's-Bonkers." Weasley's foot lashed out and kicked me in the ribs. I fell back onto my side, gasping for breath. He must have broken something. Weasley knelt beside me.

"What did you do to Harry?" he asked calmly. "Ever since he's came back to school, it's been about you. Was it a potion? A curse?" I laughed bitterly, which made his face grow darker.

"If I had cursed Harry into becoming obsessed with me," I smiled, my mouth stained with blood, "he would have never left my bed long enough to tell you." He roared with rage and pounced. Next thing I know, my airway was cut off by two large, meaty hands.

He yelled in my face, enforcing each word by banging my head into the floor. "You miserable," bang, "evil," bang, my lungs were burning, "cowardly," bang, my vision started fading and I could hear my blood pounding in my ears, "spineless," bang, I lost feeling in my limbs, "treacherous little-"

"_STUPEFY!"_ The hands around my throat disappeared, but it didn't help. Blood and air rushed through me faster than I could handle. Everything went black.

* * *

HARRY POV:

It didn't take me long to realize I was in the Hospital Wing. The room around me was blurry without my glasses. Hermoine mentioned once again about spells to repair my eyesight, but I just couldn't imagine a good enough reason to go through months of painful spellwork. My head throbbed, reminding me how I got here. I remember my head hitting something hard. I remember fighting with Ron when I fell. I also remembered Hermoine screaming for Ron when he ran out of the Common Room.

I jumped when someone beside me groaned. I turned over on my side to see Ron in another bed, being force-fed potion after potion by Madame Pomfrey. Ron glared daggers while at the same time looked positively green.

"Just be lucky that I don't tell McGonagall about the two of you." She snapped. "Honestly, muggle fights? Over Quidditch? You two are the most foolish boys I have ever seen." Ron finished the last potion, slamming the phial down on the tray. Madame Pomfrey picked up the tray, turning to me. "And you, Mr. Potter, stay put. You suffered a large blow to the head and I need to knit the fracture in your skull." I groaned, feeling the bandages wrapped around my head. She shook her head, her lips pursed. "You two, ugh!" She hurried away to her office, mumbling under her breath.

"Quidditch?" I asked. Ron crossed one arm over the other, struggling when his good arm met the one in a sling. His face was a mass of bruises and one swollen eye. His knuckles were torn and his ankle was propped on a pillow. He pouted, his eyebrows furrowed so deep, it made my head hurt to look at it. "Ron, what's the story? I know Hermoine came up with one." He turned his head away, huffing.

"If I was smart, I would let you try to figure it out yourself. Let you get in trouble for attacking me." I shook my head and sighed.

"Well, Ron, you're not smart, because you attacked me and if they know we're lying then we will be forced to tell the truth." Ron snuck a quick glance at me before huffing more.

"Fine," he started through gritted teeth. "We were at lunch when Fred and George spiked our pumpkin juice with Temper Tantrum Tonic. It took affect when we were arguing about the Chudley Cannons and a fight broke out. Hermoine broke it up by Stunning me, explaining the arm." He shrugged, then grimaced.

"And the ankle?" I asked slowly. He looked at the foot propped up on a pillow. He looked away, his ears turning red. "Ron, you ran out of the room. Where'd you go?" The redness in his ears spread to his face. "Ron?" He stayed silent. "You only punched me once. How did you mess up your knuckles so bad?" He curled his fingers, attempting to hide his hands.

"I went to the Room of Requirement." The words were quiet and empty, but it hit me like a train. "I figured that's where you were keeping him. It's where you would have hidden if you were in trouble."

"You son of a bitch!" I breathed. "What did you do?!" He finally faced me. His face was blood red under the bruises, but the anger was gone. It was a look I've seen many times. Stubborn and sorry.

"I lost my head. Before I was Stunned, I had my hands around his throat. I was so angry that I was going to kill him." He looked into my eyes. There was anger, but also faint horror at what he did. "I almost killed him, Harry." My heart raced. He almost killed Draco and where was I? Knocked out in the Hospital Wing? A brief thought ran through my head. _Kill him, Harry. _The voice sounded like it did in second year. Snake-like and slithering around my thoughts. My hands ached and my fingers curled, aching to wrap around Ron's throat. I wrapped my hands in my blanket, gripping the fabric until my knuckles turned white. Ron watched my hands, the red color leaving his face. "Harry, mate, I didn't mean for it to go that far. It's just he's got your mind twisted and he's tricked you into thinking-"

"What the fuck is wrong with you?! You do realize how you treat Malfoy isn't any better than how he used to treat you? Did you stop long enough for your thick head to realize that there is something going on with him?" His glare only made me want to choke him again.

"Yes, Harry, I did. Ever since you came back, it's been _Draco_-this and _Malfoy_-that. It's like he's made you forget how big of a git he really is."

I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. The throbbing in my head moved down to my eyes. Sleep, that's all I need. After this day of emotional and physical trauma, all I wanted was to sleep. "Ron, we embarrassed the hell out of him first year when we blew him off in front of everyone. For Merlin's sake, Ron, you laughed at him. He has no friends, Ron. _None!_ His entire house wants him for the Malfoy name. No one wants Draco. What if the entire school judged you by Weasley? The blood-traitor family that can't even afford to find a house big enough for the colony of children they make?" His ears reddened again.

"That wasn't called for, Harry." he hissed.

"I'm sorry, Ron, but it's the truth." He huffed and turned away. I took a deep breath and asked, "Will you come with me, Ron? Just talk to him. He has his reasons for being the way he is. If you don't trust him, then trust me. I really think that we can trust him." Ron rolled his eyes.

"You sound like you're in love with the git." I opened my mouth to say no, but nothing came out. What could I say after what I've seen today? Ron's jaw dropped and his eyes widened. "No. No, Harry, no. No. _No._"

"I-I don't know, Ron. I saw a lot of stuff that makes me understand him, and I couldn't just see that and not let him-"

"Let him what? Please tell me the two of you didn't?"

"We shared memories. All the memories related to where we're at today."

"Oh, _Merlin,_ Harry! Do you realize what you've done? What secrets you just let him have?!"

"I trust him." I replied calmly. He sighed.

"Fine," he groaned. "I'll go with you."

"Good, and we need to talk to Hermoine so she'll be on board, too." Ron rubbed his eyes and laughed humorlessly.

"She already knows, mate. She's the one who sent me flying across the room. She's probably in the Room of Requirement with him right now." _Oh, no._

* * *

DRACO POV:

I felt like I was lying in a bed of needles. And there was hair in my face. It felt like feather duster gliding back and forth over my nose and it smelled like cinnamon. An urge to sneeze hit me with a groan. The mass of hair jumped and pulled back. "Sorry, Draco, I was just putting salve on your neck so these bruises will heal." I started to speak, but my throat closed up, sending me in a coughing fit. She grabbed a glass of water from the table and handed it to me, waiting with an irritated glare as I downed the whole thing.

I gasped for air again before speaking, "Are you sure you're not here to kill me, too?"

"If I wanted you dead, there wouldn't be any part of you left to be found." Her voice was ice, but there was a little glint of amusement in her eyes. "Draco, just lay back and wait for Harry to come back. As soon as Madame Pomfrey is done with those idiots, they're going to come straight here."

"Weasley is coming?! Your Muggle-blood brain is even more damaged than I thought!" Granger brought out her wand and before I could stop her, it was pressed to the fading bruises on my neck.

"Harry, Ronald, and I do everything together," she jabbed my neck, dull pain shooting through my throat, "no matter what. Ron just lost his temper and when he realizes what a dumbass he really is, he'll apologize. Until then, any mention of Mudbloods," another jab, "or blood traitors, will be met with swift and just consequence. Just because Harry trusts you, it doesn't make us any less cautious of you." I smirked.

"It's a wonder you weren't put in Slytherin," her answering smirk was almost too natural for her face. I could see now why those two were so afraid of her. A little inkling in the back of my mind said that I would like her. "And I am not your Golden Trio's pet Death Eater, so be warned that insults will be given if they are received."

She nodded, hiding her wand inside her robes. "I won't make promises for Ron. He is pretty thick."

"And the world thought we disagree on everything?" Her smirk fought not to turn into a smile.


	9. Chapter 9

**HARRY POV:**

The students were buzzing with excitement to go on Christmas Break next week. Hermoine and Ron were excited to go back home, and they begged me to go with them, but I said no. These couple of months juggling school and hiding Draco has been anything but smooth. Hermoine insisted on becoming Draco's private tutor, which suprisingly, Draco agreed to without argument. The only one with a problem was, of course, Ron. When he came back with me to apologize to Draco, Hermoine enchanted his tie to shrink every time he was hostile towards him. It's been two months and the charm still hasn't been removed. I can understand his anger, even his suspicion, but what I can't understand is why he has to be so stubborn. It's not like Draco has given us any reason to hate him lately. Sure, he teases us, and he's an arrogant, self-important git sometimes, but that's Draco. Hermoine has learned to get along with him. Draco is even smart enough to have a spirited debate with her over the use of Boomslang skin in Polyjuice potion, unlike me and Ron. Draco has tried, unwillingly, to offer an olive branch by inviting Ron for a game of chess, where he and Ron were on even ground.

"Can you believe this?!" Hermoine shrieked, waving a roll of parchment in her hand. "That rotten pheonix actually corrected my essay!" She sat at the Gryffindor table and threw the essay at me. I choked on my sandwich as I saw the dozens of corrective marks on the paper. Ron looked over my shoulder, snorting around a mouthful of potatoes.

"Maybe the pheonix was just trying to help," I offered, regretting it when I saw her glare.

Ron swallowed noisily before adding, "Or maybe the git is better at Ancient Runes than you are." Hermoine took a roll from his plate and threw it at him, scowling when he took it and ate it. "You have got to admit, Hermoine, he may be rotten, but he's just as smart as you are. If it was me, you would have told me to welcome an outside perspective." Hermoine and I both stared at Ron, before turning back to our food. He smiled, "And if that is repeated, I'll deny it." We smiled. "Harry, have you thought about Christmas break?"

"Yes, Ron, I'm staying here, but I think I need to send a letter to Ollivander."

"Why Ollivander's?" Hermoine asked, picking apart another roll.

"I know what I'm getting that rotten pheonix for Christmas." Ron scoffed and she rolled her eyes.

"I wasn't aware dead people celebrated Christmas." He smirked.

"Harry," she said, cutting off my reply. "You're going to get him a _wand_? You do know that Ollivander will instantly know who it will belong to. Ron has a point. Why would you get a wand for a dead man? And why would it be _you_ who gets it for _him_? You can't exactly explain it away."

"I'm not." Students shuffled out of the Great Hall, with us behind the crowd, out of earshot. "If he makes a fuss over the who's and why's, I'll explain it with Galleons." Hermoine grabbed my sleeve, wheeling me around to face her outrage.

"You're going to _bribe_ him?!"

"You're starting to sound like Malfoy, mate." Ron mumbled, looking for eavesdroppers. "But I think I know why you're doing it? You don't think he's going to stay dead for long, do you?" I shook my head. Both of them paled.

"I think I had another dream of Voldemort last month." I shivered at the memory as they shivered at the name. It was just a flash of emotion and a face to go with it, but it was enough to deprive me of sleep for the rest of the night. "He's getting suspicious, and his instincts are pointing to," I paused when a group of third years walked past, "a certain someone's parents. His mother has not spoke or barely left her room since his death. His father has stopped volunteering for missions and there is nothing going on up here," I pointed to my eyes. "The other Death Eaters are concerned, too. I also saw an owl leaving the Mansion. I don't know why but I feel like this owl is going to start another battle. I don't want to leave the pheonix defenseless when we all know he's going to be right alongside us when all Hell breaks loose." Ron shrugged. Hermoine sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I've been reading about wands and I think I know exactly what to request so Ollivander won't have to know the person, okay?" They shared a look before nodding. I told them to meet them later in the Common Room before I took off for Hagrid's hut, hoping his obsession with Magical Creatures would pay off.

"'Arry, why you need that?" Hagrid asked, stroking his large beard. "I's not like any o'the profess'rs are ask'n fer a feather. I could only gath'r a few that wer'nt sick."

"It's for a present." He narrowed his eyes. He moved around his hut grumbling as he sat down a kettle of tea and biscuits.

"I don' know 'bout that, but Dumbl'dor told me that ye would need one." He pulled out a fold of leather, unwrapping it to show a vibrant red feather, only a little wilted around the edges. "He told me te tell ye that i's perfec' fer the gift, an that i'll fu'fill i's purpos'."

I took the feather and cradled it in my palms. It was small and delicate, but I could almost feel the power radiating from its core. "Dumbledore doesn't miss a thing, does he?" Hagrid laughed, shaking his head.

"Tha' he doesn't." I stuck around for a while, catching up with one of my first friends, but the entire time, the pants' pocket holding one of Draco's pheonix feathers was almost burning with anticipation, and my mind couldn't help but drift to the Room of Requirement, where deep down, I really wanted to be.

* * *

**DRACO'S POV:**

My head gave another painful throb, pulling my attention, once again, away from a slip of parchment Granger had given me. This past month has been absolute agony. It takes all my energy to hide it from the Golden Trio. My days have been nothing but voices in my head and headaches, and my nights have been vivid nightmares of my parents screaming, crying, begging for death. I wish I could go to Trelawney. She may be a crazy old bat, but when it comes to visions and voices, she's the best advisor. Also, this prophecy in my hand sounds like one she would make. From my perspective, it's all rubbish and fancy words until that one line that really makes a valid prediction. "_For neither can live while the other survives..._," I said, for the hundredth time. To someone who hates Divination, like the three who gave me this, it seems pretty straightfoward. I thought so at first, too, but the more I thought about it, the more that the words unravelled. Possible meanings were written down under the prophecy. Being in Harry's head, the first conclusion was his only conclusion. That he would have to murder Voldemort. I suppressed a shudder as I thought the name. It's been easier to say it after going through Harry's brain. It's just a name, I finally had to tell myself.

But in Divination, I've studied prophecies just like this that have had completely different outcomes. Harry, poor single-minded Harry, only hears murder. The last conclusion wrote down kept drawing my eye. It was like I had written it in glowing ink. Every time my eyes skimmed the parchment, the last sentence was the first I read. It was a simple question, but it held a world of importance.

_What if the killing blow came from neither of them?_

Pain seared through my head. I cried out, dropping the parchment. I held my head in my hands as voices rose in my head. _My Draco._ A woman's voice moaned, tears pouring down her face. _My son._ The pain flared behind my eyes, making me cry out again. I fell to my knees while the Room of Requirement disappeared. I vaguely felt the world turn over and my head hit stone, but it wasn't Hogwarts I was seeing.

The images were blurry and wispy, almost as if my mother's room in Malfoy Manor was made of smoke. My mother shone brightly among the shadows, her white hair glowing like a halo.

_She kept looking over her shoulder as she hastily scribbled on parchment. Footsteps were echoing through the vision. Her hands shook as she tied the note closed. She barely had time to shove the note in her pocket before my aunt Bellatrix skipped into the room. "The Dark Lord calls us, Cissy. We must go to the dining hall." Mother turned to her sister with a sneer. _

_"I shall come when I am finished mourning my son's death." Her lip quivered slightly, but she held firm. Her eyes were as cold as ice. Bellatrix wasn't fazed. She even had the nerve to smile._

_"You shall come to the Dark Lord when he asks of it, Cissy. The death of a little boy will not change that." My mother stood stiff, then suddenly her hand shot out, slapping her sister across the face. Bellatrix stumbled back, giggling, cradling her split lip. _

_My mother's voice sent chills down my spine. It made me glad that I wasn't on the receiving end of that murderous glare. "My son, my only son, has and always will come before your Dark Lord. His death changes __**nothing**__! I have lost one child to one of your goons, and now, I have lost another child by serving that-that," her lips pressed into a thin line before the next word exploded in rage, "MADMAN!" Bellatrix glared while my mother took a steadying breath. Mother flipped her hair, turning her back to her sister and the door. "I refuse to look into that monster's eyes. He takes too much joy in watching a mother grieve for her child." _

_Aunt Bellatrix drew her wand, making me wish now more than ever that I was here. I tried to call out, but I couldn't hear my voice. I suddenly realized it wasn't neccessary when Mother whipped around, waving her wand in a figure eight, "Relashio!" Fiery sparks shot from her wand, causing Bellatrix to shriek and swat away the embers that haven't singed her. She stormed out of the room, seething. Smoke followed her in a thin trail and she had small burns all over her body. Mother magically sealed the doors. I shuddered at the stregnth of the charm. Nothing short of a dragon could break through. She sighed, "My Draco." She pulled the note out of her pocket, addressing it to the Daily Prophet. "This is for you, Draco." She tied the note to a small owl. She released it out of the window, watching the bird disappear on the horizon. "Draco, my son." She collapsed into a nearby chair, all of that stregnth gone, showing a broken woman. _

"_Mother_!" I heard myself crying out. A pair of large, yellow eyes jumped back, startled. My breath came out in pants and sweat covered every inch of me. My head pounded with exhaustion.

"Master Draco, sir?" Dobby asked, wringing his hands. I slowly sat up, taking in the Room of Requirement. Hours have passed. It was a wonder one of the Trio hasn't shown up. My entire right side was sore from lying on the cold floor. I could hear the small fireplace crackling and see the flames reflected on the silver dining tray on the table. "Master Draco?" the elf asked again.

"I'm fine," I croaked. My throat was raw and dry, as if I have been screaming for hours.

"Master Draco was having a vision, sir. Dobby was told to bring Master Draco soup and tea. Headmaster Dumbledore said Master Draco would be weak, sir." The words took longer than usual to sink in. Of course Dumbledore would know about my potential Inner Eye. Trelawney had probably told him. "Sir?" Dobby held out a glass of tea, strong with four sugars. I shook my head, shaking the fuzz out of my head.

"Is there anything from my childhood that you don't remember?" I sipped the tea, taking delight in how my jaw locked from the sweetness. The first sip was always a suprise. Dobby had a small smile.

"No, Master Draco, sir. Dobby remembers everything that Dobby needs to know to make Master Draco happy. Sir?" I paused, urging him on. "Master Harry Potter was asking about Master Draco, sir. Master Harry Potter couldn't open the door so Master Harry Potter grew worried about Master Draco. What shall Dobby tell Master Harry Potter?" The pounding in my head dulled in comparison the pounding I felt in my chest.

Harry hardly skipped a day visiting me. Sometimes he brought homework we could both work on, though I don't know if the struggling attempts on Harry's behalf could be considered work. Other times, we played Exploding Snap. He whined about how everyone thought themselves too old for the game, but his face lit up as bright as the sun when I offered to play. I knew for a fact we were both too old for the game, but I couldn't bring myself to say no when he pulled out his deck for another game. We talked about everything, nothing was off limits since our mind-melding. He often asked me about Issy. The jagged edge of remembering my sister gradually wore down with each question. Now it was a dull ache. I asked him about living with Muggles in return. Apparently, he was going through the same painful process remembering his family. But every now and again, he would tell me a good memory. His face lit up with mischeif when he described trapping his cousin in a snake cage at the zoo. His eyes glazed over with bitterness telling me about the dozens of birthdays and Christmases he sat and watched his bulbous cousin open gift after gift.

_Merlin's balls!_ Alarm bells rang off in my head. I was supposed to be thinking of a gift for Harry for Christmas. I had listened to Granger whine about Harry staying at the castle for the holidays, and there was only one reason he would stay at the castle, and the thought sent my limbs tingling with excitement. _He's staying to spend Christmas with me. _

"Master Draco, sir?" Dobby's voice pulled me back to reality. "What shall Dobby tell Master Harry Potter?" I shook my head.

"Don't tell him anything. I'll talk to him later, but I need to talk to you."

"What does Master Draco need Dobby to tell Master Draco?" He held his hands together, bouncing on his heels. Energy was coming off of this elf in waves.

"What could I get Harry for Christmas? I only have a couple of Galleons." Dobby let the question hang in the air before he started thinking, which was amusing on its own. The elf pulled at one of his ears, his face scrunching in thought.

"Dobby thinks that Master Harry Potter would enjoy sugar quills. Master Harry Potter loves to eat Chocolate Frogs. Dobby also thinks that Master Harry Potter would like another minature broom or dragon." I waved my hand, stopping him.

"Dobby," I said, "I'm not talking about treats or toys. What does he like to do besides Exploding Snap and Quidditch?"

"Dobby doesn't know, Master Draco, sir. Master Harry Potter told Dobby to stop following Master Harry Potter. Other than a photo of Master Harry Potter's parents-"

"Wait!" He stopped talking, trembling nervously, but my mind was elsewhere. I rushed over to a scrap of parchment, writing a brief list down before giving it to Dobby. "Go through Diagon Alley and get me these ingredients. Bring them and a cauldron set up here." I handed him the Galleons. "Bring any pictures you can find of both Harry and his parents. I know exactly what to give him." The elf bowed before vanishing with a crack.

I took a deep breath as the throbbing in my head came back. _Mother_, I thought, _I hope that my 'death' didn't make you reckless._

* * *

**HARRY'S POV:**

The castle grew cold, being so empty. I was still visiting Draco, sure, but he would only see me for an hour or so before he would push me out of the room. He kept saying that he didn't want me to see why. It was fine, though. It gave me time to send a letter to Ollivander. His reply sat in front of me in the Great Hall at breakfast.

_Dear Mr. Potter, _

_ I thrive on your interest in another wand, but I wonder, why is it that you need a wand of such a peculiar combination? One doesn't often place a pheonix's feather in a wand of alder wood. I hope you are satisfied with a wand of nine and a half inches. The feather you sent, while powerful, is small. I wonder, I understand based on your generous donation that I am not to know the identity of the owner, but I can't help but wonder. _

_ Garrick Ollivander, Wandmaker_

He promised that it would be here by tomorrow morning, Christmas morning. My heart flipped with excitement, because while the gift was meant to give Draco protection, it was also from the heart. Hermoine promised that the feather, being Draco's, would bond with him instantly. She was impressed with my research in wand woods, too. I hoped Draco would appreciate the alder wood, seeing as the reason is from the heart also. I was in such a state of eagerness that I barely noticed a bulky issue of the Daily Prophet being dropped on my plate. The flustered owl ruffled its feathers before stealing a grape and flying off. The newspaper was tied together with a small note on top:

_**The pheonix may rise from the ashes sooner than we thought.**_

_** -Hermoine**_

Dread spread like cold water through my limbs. I slowly unwrapped the package, flinching when Rita Skeeter's beady eyes greeted me under the headline:

_**YOU-KNOW-WHO FOUND AT MALFOY MANOR**_

_**An anonymous source has sent us vital information and evidence that You-Know-Who is hiding in the suspicious-to-begin-with Malfoy Manor, where the Malfoys, parents of recently deceased Draco Malfoy, is hosting the Dark Lord, himself...**_

The dread broke into full panic. The owl, it was an owl to the Daily Prophet! If this doesn't start some type of battle, there is no telling what will.

_**Sources at the Ministry of Magic say that while the evidence is credible, it is not enough to rouse the Aurors into a preemptive strike against the Death Eaters. The Minister of Magic, himself, has stated that it would be unwise to storm into the Dark Lord's stronghold...**_

"Of course not," I found myself growling. Before I realized it, I was already running up the stairs to the Room of Requirement.

Draco was bent over a cauldron when I rushed through the door. He sprung up, flailing to cover up something with parchment, before turning back to me, glaring. "Bloody hell, Harry! You almost made me ruin this! This took what little money I had left so it's not like I can try again."

"You can always take some Galleons from me," I offered, distracted. "But once you see this," I waved the paper in front of him, "I don't think that potion is going to matter." He wiped his palms on his pants before taking the paper from me. His brow was furrowed and he nervously ruffled his hair, strangely like I do. His eyes scanned over the paper, before he collapsed to the ground.

"No," he groaned. "No, no, Mother, _NO!_" He ripped the paper in half before dropping it. I moved to kneel in front of him. He stared at the ground in horror. What little color he had in his face drained and he looked like he would be sick. I took his hands in mine, gripping them tightly. He looked at our joined hands, then up at me, his eyes impossibly wide. "I saw it. She sent that _bloody_ owl! I had no idea what she was doing. She just kept saying that it was for me. That me and my sister's deaths would be righted." He shivered. His hands were sweaty in mine. He gripped my hands tighter, pulling me closer. "Dear Merlin! He's going to kill her. He knows, Harry! _He's going to kill her!_" He jumped to his feet. I watched, feeling helpless, as he grabbed his shoes, pulling them on.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" He snapped, tying his laces. "I'm going to the Manor, and I'm going to get my mother out of there before my visions come true."

"Visions?" I asked. He stood, his determined gaze hit me like a wall.

"Yes, I've been having dreams and visions for a month now. I see my mother dying. She's being tortured to the point that the idea of dying brings a smile to her face. You know what she says with her last breath? Draco. She says my name when she dies." He grabs a jumper from the bed and pulls it over his head. "I'm not going to let that happen. If it comes down to it, I'll die before she does." He started towards the door. Before he could grab the handle, I jumped between them. He took a deep breath before saying through gritted teeth, "Move, Harry."

I shook my head. "No. You are not walking into a trap. There are Death Eaters all over the place. You'll die before you even find her."

"Thanks for the faith, Potter." He sneered.

"You have no wand, you git!" I took his shoulders in a firm grip and shook him. He kept his eyes down, lips twisted in a grimace. "Draco, look at me." His lips drew tighter. I could barely see his teeth worrying at his bottom lip. "Look at me!" His eyes slowly moved up to mine. "If you go there, I will have to follow you. Who else is there? No one! Everyone is at home right now, sipping tea, opening presents, celebrating Christmas Eve. There is no one here to follow us. We will be on our own. If we fail, there is no one to save us." His face slacked until all that was there was hopelessness. "You are about to go head-first into a fortress filled to the rafters with Death Eaters, unarmed and on the arm of the worst person you could possibly face Voldemort," Draco flinched, "with. The entire Wizarding world thinks you're dead."

He yanked himself out of my grip and fled to the other side of the room. His breath came fast and shallow and his shoulders slumped. "What the bloody hell does it matter?" He spun back to me, his eyes shiny with unshed tears. "Why, in the name of Merlin, is it so important that I stay here?"

For a brief second, I thought to say because his only defense will be here in the morning, but another, bigger secret had already clawed its way out. Before I could stop myself, I moved up to him and took his head in my hands. "Because I need you here with me." I pressed my lips to his quickly, and pulled back. His face was one of pure shock. Words started pouring out of my mouth, "I've liked you for a while now, but when I saw you sacrifice everything you believed in to protect your mother from him. When I saw that you were a completely different person than what I saw in my head. When I saw how downright...brave you are, I fell in love. That night I held you on the banks of the Black Lake, I wanted nothing more in the world than to kiss those tears away. When you were in my mind, I wanted to show you everything and show you how much that meant to me. And right now, I want you to stay safe here, with me, because now that there is a chance I could have you, I don't want to lose you." This time, it was Draco that pressed his lips to mine.

The kiss we shared was rough and desperate. We fought to hold each other as tightly as we could. Draco whimpered before he pulled back. "But my mother-," I pressed my lips back to his quickly.

"I'll Floo-call Hermoine and Ron tomorrow. We'll get the Order of the Pheonix to come with us." Draco tensed. His muscles bunched, ready to run. "Draco, please." I begged. "Stay with me until I get the help we need." A single tear escaped his eye. I kissed it away from his cheek. He choked out a broken gasp. "Don't make the same mistake I did. Don't let him trick you, Draco. You're smarter than that." That pulled a small smile from him.

He shook his head, sighing. "Harry," he pulled me into him until there wasn't even a breath between us, "the only promise I will make to you is that no matter what happens tomorrow, tonight will be the best night of my life." My heart swelled until it felt like it would burst. He pressed his lips to my forehead, then to my cheeks, before he went back to my lips. This kiss was soft with emotion. His hands glided up my sweater, gripping the warm fabric before pulling it over my head. He paused, grimacing at my oversized t-shirt, before simply ripping it off my chest. "If we live, remind me to buy you a decent wardrobe." The comment meant to be teasing, but we both slowed as the weight of what's happening sunk in.

We could both die tomorrow. Draco could die. I could die. Our friends and family could die tomorrow.

The truth sunk in like a large block of ice. Draco paled, and I shivered. I pressed into Draco's arms, seeking warmth. He wrapped his arms tightly around me, as if afraid to let go. Our lips found each other again, and this time, we didn't stop until we were both lying in bed, our clothes scattered through the room. He was lying on his back, his cheeks and chest flushed red, and I was lying on top of him, his legs wrapped around my waist.

"Oh, Merlin, Harry!" He gasped as I bit his neck. His hips thrust up into mine, his hardness rubbing our stomachs. We both froze when I felt my cock brush his entrance. "Harry," he groaned. "Please, Harry. Fuck me."

"I-I-I don't-" I started, but he rolled his eyes, shoving my lips apart with his. He took his time exploring my mouth, making me grunt into his mouth, rubbing my cock against his ass, desperate for more. He moaned, grabbing fistfuls of my hair. He pulled it and the pressure in my scalp made me cry out. "Draco," I gasped. "God, I want to fuck you so bad, but I've never-" I moaned when he pulled my hair again.

"Me either." He said. His voice was deep and husky, making me shiver. One hand left my hair to search frantically around the bed, before finally he sighed, muttering, "_Accio Wand."_ My wand flew to his hand. We both stared for a moment. Magic then crackled around us like static. It flowed over my arms, raising goosebumps, then surged into me, making me gasp.

"What?" Draco asked, alarmed. I took a moment to breathe. I suddenly felt different.

"I feel...empty." Draco laughed, but then grew serious. His fingers went straight to my entrance, feeling around the edge before sticking in three fingers with no resistance. Being filled with his fingers felt amazing. "Oh, Merlin!" His fingers moved inside of me, making me shudder. "Oh, _Jesus, Draco!_" I panted. "That's feels amazing, but what the hell was that?"

"Wandless and wordless magic. Did someone else want to take it up the arse, Potter?" He smirked. His fingers brushed something inside me, making me arch my back and cry out his name. "Shit, Harry, you look so hot like this!"

"Just shut up and fuck me, git! That's obviously what you want!" His smirk grew wider as he shoved his fingers into me, one, two, three more times before pulling out. I whimpered at the loss, but shifted to straddle his hips. He took his cock in his hand, placing the head at my entrance. I let myself drop on to it, groaning as a sharp pain went up my spine. I fell forward, resting my head on Draco's chest. The pain of being almost too full and the stretch brought tears to my eyes. I could just hear his sneer.

"Always the Gryffindor!" Draco spat through gritted teeth. "Take it slow, Potter. You'll hurt yourself."

"Just move," I muttered. It was completely still for a brief moment, then Draco thrust into me. I bit my lip to keep quiet as he went impossibly deeper. One hand started rubbing circles on my back while the other ran fingers through my hair. His hips thrust again. Everything in me tensed.

"Relax, Harry." He breathed in my ear. "I've got you. Just relax and it will start to feel amazing. I promise." My muscles gradually relaxed one by one. It wasn't until the muscles in my neck went limp that he moved again. His thrusts were shallow. He gradually went deeper and deeper until he hit that same spot again. Icy fire roared through my senses, blasting away the pain.

"Bloody hell!" I sat up to see Draco's face. The sight of his lazy smile made my heart flip. He thrust again over the spot. I moaned. The lust in his eyes made them look like storm clouds. Magic static still pulsed through the room. Everywhere Draco touched me tingled like a live wire. Everytime I touched him, he would gasp or groan, involuntarily thrusting into me.

The room was filled with nothing but the sound of sex and moans. The static grew thicker and thicker until it was pressing in on us like water. I wanted this to never end, but I also thought if this didn't end soon, I would surely die. Draco's hips thrusted harder and faster. Our eyes locked onto each other, not moving. Our breath came out in pants. Draco's eyes grew darker, stormier. I almost thought I saw lightning flash in his eyes, before he gripped my hips hard and started thrusting as hard and as fast as he could.

"Oh, God, Draco!" I felt the pleasure building in me. A tight, hot ball of electricity growing until I thought I would explode. "Oh, Merlin, _please_, Draco! I need to-ugh! I need to-" I cried out in relief when his fingers wrapped around my cock and started pulling it with his thrusts. The ball exploded inside of me, almost sounding like thunder cracking in my ears. "_Oh, Draco!_" Words started rushing out of my mouth. "_Draco! Oh, God, Draco! I love you so much! Oh, Jesus Christ! So good! So good!" _A wordless cry was ripped out of me as I came harder than I ever have in my life.

I collapsed on Draco's chest, boneless, helplessly whimpering as he pounded into me. His breath quickened and hitched before he came with a, "Oh, Harry!" We both lie there, motionless, breathing heavily. I rolled off of him, cringing at the soreness already building.

"Amazing," I breathed. Draco started laughing. I turned onto my side, resting my head on his chest. "What's so funny?" His eyes shone with a bright light, clear again. The color gray there now reminded me of a rainy morning in the summer.

"Nothing." We stared in each other's eyes for a moment, before Draco broke his gaze, sighing. "Sleep, Harry. We need rest for tomorrow." Tomorrow. The word broke my happy haze like breaking glass. I sighed, too.

"Okay," I eventually said. "Just promise me something."

"Yes, Harry?" His eyes grew dark with fear and worry. I kissed him, willing it to go away, then pulled back. It didn't.

"No matter what happens, we don't leave each other's sights." His fingers sought out mine, intertwining them. "Promise me we stay together."

"Harry, I-"

"Promise." I cut him off, squeezing his hand. He squeezed back, smiling sadly.

"I promise." I nodded, not convinced. I extinguished the lights with my wand, then lie down beside Draco, not letting my own fear show on my face. I stared at the ceiling in the darkened room, my thoughts racing and my heart pounding. It felt like an eternity, but eventually I fell asleep.

* * *

**DRACO'S POV:**

I fought to stay awake, even though I wanted nothing more than to curl up next to Harry's warm body and sleep. After a long time, Harry's breath evened out and slowed and when I tried to shake him awake, he didn't stir. I carefully stepped out of the bed, searching in the dark for my clothes.

I had on my pants and shoes before I caught sight of my workbench. I was almost finished with Harry's gift before he ran in. It only needed a quick enchantment. I looked back at the bed, where he slept soundly. His wand was still in the bed, and after a quick look through the sheets, I had it in my hand. It had suprised me that it responded to me so easily. I was sure that I had to have Harry do the spell on the gift himself. Now that I could do it, I didn't hesitate to go over to the project, fishing it out from under the stack of parchment.

I took a moment to look at my work fondly. I used two pictures: one of his parents laughing and one of him from third year, smiling in his tattered Quidditch robes, and used a simple binding potion to overlap the pictures until he and his parents were together seamlessly. I pointed the wand at the photo, mumbling a quiet animation charm. The photo lit with an inner light, then faded. The parents moved first, noticing Harry standing between them, then picture-Harry looked back, stunned. The woman smiled brilliantly before collecting the boy in her arms. Picture-Harry hugged her back, tightly, grinning. They both turned to the man who looked exactly like the boy, before they all embraced each other as a happy family. My heart swelled at the spell's success. It was almost painful to see Harry so happy to be with his family in the picture. It brought tears to my eyes when I thought how real-Harry would be thrilled to have this gift. The tears fell when I thought about where I would be when he saw it.

I finished gathering my things, before writing a short message on parchment, leaving it and the photo on my pillow. I stopped, kneeling over Harry's sleeping form. I pressed my lips to his cheek, a small part in me wishing he would wake up and try to stop me. He didn't. He stayed asleep as I took his closest hand. He snored as I cast a small _Incarcerous_ charm, tying his wrist the headboard. He jumped, but continued sleeping, even as I pocketed his wand and left the Room of Requirement.

The door closed behind me, making me feel more wretched than I expected. It vanished as I called for Dobby. It was gone when he appeared with a crack. "What is Master Draco doing out of bed, sir?" He bowed, his massive ears brushing the ground. "What can Dobby do for Master Draco?"

"Can you still get through the wards around Malfoy Manor?" He looked up at me, alarmed, but forced himself to answer.

"Yes, Master Draco, sir. Dobby can still Apparate to Master's Manor." I spared another glance at the span of wall. Everything in me was screaming to go back, curl up into Harry's arms, and pray this was just another nightmare. I took a deep breath, holding my hand out to Dobby.

"Take me there." As we Disapparated, I swear I could hear Harry's voice begging me to come back...


	10. Chapter 10

**HARRY'S POV:**

Flashes of his hands on my skin. His lips on mine. So warm and alive. Our bodies pulsing in time with each other, desperate to become one...

Something wasn't right, I thought. It wasn't warm anymore. I slowly woke up, shivering. The room was dark and cold, and, my heart sank, Draco was gone. My stomach did sommersaults as I scanned the room for white hair. Nothing. I moved to get out of bed, but then a pulling force on my right wrist stopped me. My hand was bound to the headboard in a magical knot. I pulled and struggled against the bind, wincing at the screaming pain in my shoulder. I searched frantically for my wand, even tried Summoning it, nothing.

"No," I groaned. "This can't be happening! _Draco!_" I cried out. Rage rushed through me pulling another wordless scream from my throat. I stuggled again, pulling the bind and pulling until I froze when parchment caught my eye. On Draco's pillow were two pieces of parchment and a photo. I took the parchment. One was the prophecy followed by a list written in Draco's scrawl:

_1) Harry has to murder Voldemort in order to live..._

_2) One is meant to die before the other, whether by natural means or no..._

The list continued with wild scenarios until the last line was marked with multiple dots, as if Draco continued to return to this one line, unable to mark it out.

_6) What if the killing blow came from neither of them?_

I set the paper down, grabbing the other one. It was a note hastily scribbled, some of the words hard to read:

_Harry,_

_ I've instructed Dobby to retrieve Granger and Weasley after I leave. They are waiting for you to wake, because I couldn't find it in my heart to allow them to see you in the state I left you in. (_I could almost see the smirk on his face as he wrote that.) _I don't know how I will fare saving my mother, with my being defenseless as you say, but I can assure you, Harry Potter, no matter the consequences of my endeavor, I can face them knowing that I have no regrets. Please follow your own words and make sure you have a way to survive when you come for me. Not if, when. From a snivelling Slytherin to a gallant Gryffindor, Aideu._

"_Dobby!" _I yelled, looking up from the letter. The elf popped into the room, holding a thin package, eyes cast downward. His arms were shaking as he held up the box.

"D-d-Dobby brought M-Master Ha-Harry P-p-Potter's package." I ignored the elf's whimpers as I snatched the package out of his hands and ripped it open the best I could with one hand. Sure enough, it was Draco's new wand. You could tell the wood was light, but a thin coat of dark blue was applied, making the color dark, but also so you could clearly see the grain. I felt the magic buzz in my hand, but instead of a pleasant warm sensation, the temperature spiked to where my first thought was to drop it. I held it firmly as it burned my palm, waiting as the burning gradually subsided, almost as if the wand realized I wasn't going to let go that easily.

"Listen, you," I heard myself saying, "Just get me out of this and I'll take you to your real owner, understand?" The wand pulsed again, then stopped. _Definitely the wand of a Slytherin, _I thought. I aimed the point as the base of the knot holding my other arm, muttering a _Finite Incantantem_ before my arm was released with an explosion of pins and needles in my skin. I spared a glance at Dobby's trembling figure before rushing to the end of the bed, pulling on my pants. "Dobby," I barked. He flinched, but listened. "Get Ron and Hermoine and bring them here. When you come back, stay." He bowed low, Disapparating with a crack. I moved over to Draco's side, grabbing my shirt when the photo caught my attention. I could recognize the red hair of my mother immediately, and the glasses on my father's face. What my mind refused to process was the boy in the middle of them. The three stood, frozen. The boy smiled ahead, unaware of the two adults behind him. My parents stared at each other, ignoring the thirteen year old boy standing between them. I could tell that these were two completely different pictures fused together. The three people didn't belong together at all. I picked it up, then the entire photo changed.

When the boy reached up to ruffle his hair, I realized with astonishment that it was me. A younger version of me, face dirty and smiling in wrinkled, filthy Quidditch robes. The picture slowly started to move. My mother broke her gaze from my father, and looked at the picture-me. Picture-me looked back at our mother, amazed and confused, before a large grin broke over his face. She smiled back, with tears in her eyes, then laughed, embracing her little boy. I could feel tears stinging my eyes, too, as my father watched the embrace with a small, proud smile. The boy turned to his father, throwing his arms around him. The man let out a bark of laughter, returning the hug. When the picture finished moving, the three held each other smiling at me, my parents waving at me.

_Draco made this_, I realized. A sob ripped out of my mouth as I held the picture in my hands. That sneaky, snarky little git made this for me. He couldn't give me my parents, but he could give me the closest thing he could. What could have been...This could very well be a real picture my parents and I would have taken after one of my many Quidditch matches. The love in their eyes would have been this genuine. The smile on my face would have been that bright. Draco took the time to create one of the best gifts anyone, anywhere could have possibly given me. Me with my family...

The door opened with a loud bang, causing me to jump. Hermoine rushed into the room, alarmed to see me alone, crying. "Harry!" she gasped. She kneeled in front of me, wiping the tears from my cheeks like a mother comforting a child. "What happened?" I opened my mouth to speak, but another slight sob escaped. Ron stayed by the door with Dobby, shifting his feet awkwardly. Hermoine held me until the tears died and I was able to speak again.

"Draco," I swallowed past the lump in my throat. "He left."

"For Malfoy Manor?" she offered. I nodded.

"He's going after his mother." Panic surged through me, making me stand up and pace nervously. "We have to go, Hermoine. We have to go get him."

"We know, mate." Ron spoke up. All eyes turned to him. "Dobby told us that the git asked us to call the Order of the Pheonix before we come out here. Lupin, Moody, and everyone are already at the Burrow, waiting for our signal. Dobby offered to Apparate us through the wards, the same as he did with Draco. I figured that you would want us to be the first through." I nodded again. Hermoine took a seat on the edge of the bed, looking through the notes left by Draco. The room was in silence, until Ron cleared his throat. "So, um, you two are together now?" Both Hermoine and I looked at him with shocked confusion. Ron spared a small smile. "I was just wondering because I highly doubt Draco's underwear would have Dudley written on the waistband," he mused, kicking the pair by his foot. My face blazed red, as Hermoine pointedly looked away. I chose to ignore it when she subtly slid to the foot of the bed. He sat at Draco's workbench, "We'll wait for you to finish getting dressed and we'll go. Draco isn't going to receive a warm welcome when they find out he's alive." I gathered my things and locked myself in the bathroom, not overlooking the fact that Ron has just willingly use Draco's first name.

**DRACO'S POV:**

The pain in my head wouldn't subside. It was like I was repeatedly banging my head into the wall. The bleeding cut on my forehead had dried, making it itchy. My shoulders were in agony, being chained to the wall like a dog. I again cursed myself for being such an Gryffindorish idiot. When I finally found my mother, she was in her rooms, locked away as she was in my visions. What I didn't realize was that she was now being guarded, ready to be forcibly taken to the Dark Lord when she emerged. They spotted me instantly. Why I didn't grab Harry's Invisibility Cloak was beyond me. I tried to make a run for it, but a Stunning Spell caught my back sending me flying into a wall, thus, the cut. The last thing I remember before blacking out was my mother standing over me, eyes wide with horror.

"Drakey," I shuddered. Merlin, I hate that nickname! I looked up to see my aunt Bellatrix standing a few feet away from me. My father stood next to her, his face cold. I groaned. She cackled, reminding me of deranged crow. "You're alive. How," she paused, making a show of playing with the wand they took away from me, Harry's wand, "quaint. And with the Boy-Who-Lived's wand, no less. How did you come across this prize?" I shrugged, keeping my lips sealed. My father stepped foward. Cold, blue eyes met mine, willing ice to thicken under my skin. I shivered. His smirk was that of a Malfoy.

"My son," he said it like the words were bitter in his mouth. "You have returned, but to what end? You seemed eager to elude your captors." He reached into his robe pocket. I could hear blood rushing through my ears. The cut on my forehead started dripping again. "Do you happen to have something to hide, my son?" I stayed silent. A flash of silver was all I saw before his cane struck me, my mouth filling with blood. "Where were you hiding? Surely a fake death so intricately played out came from the mind of a Death Eater's son." I winced, spitting blood on his shoes. "Very well." He pulled his wand from his cane, aiming it at my forehead. The spell struck me like a blow. "_Imperio._"

A thick fog filled my mind, clawing at me, pulling me into its abyss. I shut my eyes tightly, fighting the fog's tendrils with all my stregnth. It pulled and pulled, and I fought hard to stay in control. I couldn't lose it, not now. "Bella," I heard my father's voice snap. Next thing I knew, pain surged through me. It felt like a fire made of broken glass surged through my insides, making me spasm, screams echoing in the dungeon. The fog gained stregnth, completely enveloping me until I felt the tethers of my mind snap. I still felt the pain, but I couldn't move. Couldn't scream. Couldn't control my body at all. "Stop!" The pain stopped. I felt my eyes open and then saw my father, my body coiled waiting for a command. He took a small vial and uncorked it, holding it to my lips. "Drink."

_No_, my mind screamed. _NO! Draco, don't do it. _The liquid was as tasteless as water as I swallowed it, unable to stop. The Veritaserum surged through my system, cancelling out the Imperius Curse, but the curse's purpose was fulfilled. I felt control over my body again, groaning and gasping. I fought again as every truth in my mind fought for attention. It felt as if I wanted to scream them.

"Why did you fake your death, Draco?" Father asked, calmly.

"Because I lost my mark." The words fell out in a rush. I could see the two Death Eaters bristle. Bellatrix rushed around behind me, checking my forearm, gasping.

"The mark's gone, Lucius."

"As established by the truth coming out of Draco's mouth, Bella." The words were dry and I would have chuckled if he didn't fire off another question. "What happened to your mark?"

"It was killing me. It was starving me, giving me nightmares, and draining my life. In school, we were told to become magical creatures. I became a pheonix and I died. I rose from the ashes, and when I became human again, my mark was gone." I shut my lips tightly, trying to keep them shut with my teeth, but all that was accomplishing was more blood in my mouth.

"Why hide, Draco?"

I bit down harder, fighting the words building in my throat. My mouth was overflowing, and for a dark moment, I wished that I would drown on my blood before I spoke. The relief of opening my mouth was completely blown to Hell by me talking, "I knew if the Dark Lord found out I lost the mark, he would hurt my mother." A sharp intake of breath was the only sound for a while. I spat out more blood, panting with effort.

"Who was helping you hide, Draco?"

My body bucked in the chains, the truth rushing through me, clawing its way out. I reached over as far as I could, gathering my shirt in my mouth. My body fought, bucking and thrashing under the strain of the Veritaserum. My blood was boiling with the need to just talk. My wrists ached as they jerked in the chains. My knees was scraped raw from kneeling on the stone floor. I screamed in frustration as my body fought to betray me...to betray _him_. Tears of shame sprang to my eyes as I felt myself losing the battle. I imagined Harry's eyes looking into mine, willing his stregnth to me. I imagined him telling me to hold on a little longer. The Veritaserum would wear off eventually. The image helped me hold on a moment longer, before my body buckled, forcing my mouth away from my makeshift gag.

"_HARRY POTTER!" _The name was cried out, loud and long. Its echoes off the stone walls hit my ears like physical blows. I was crumpled on the floor, exhaustion making every limb feel like lead. Sobs were the only sound in the room as I writhed in shame. "Sorry!" I sobbed. "I'm so sorry!"

"Apologies will not sway the Dark Lord, Drakey." Bellatrix sneered. I looked up at her, and hate was the only emotion I felt.

"I hate that nickname, you bitch! And my apologies were not for that snake-faced maniac!" I started screaming again as my father left, leaving Bellatrix behind to torture me, using Harry's wand.

**HARRY'S POV:**

The hole in the wards, surprisingly enough, was over the small pond on the very edge of the Malfoy's land. The sight of the pond gave me chills. If l closed my eyes, I could still see the red swirls of Issy's blood.

"Harry," Ron hissed. I jumped, his brown eyes watching me concerned. "You still with us, mate?" I nodded. Dobby stood in front of us, shifting from one foot to another. "Go back to the Burrow and bring the rest through. Tell them to wait an hour before they start throwing spells. Got it?" Dobby nodded, disappearing with a crack.

Their eyes followed me as I led them towards the large mansion. When we reached the back wall, I unfolded my Invisibility Cloak. Relieved, but also horrified, that Draco didn't take it. Draco getting caught at this point was almost inevitable. Whether or not he's dead, I will just have to hold my breath and hope for the best.

Hermoine and Ron struggled to fit with me under the cloak, but once we were safely covered, we edged to the front of the house. Two Death Eaters were guarding the front door, talking. It was impossible to tell who was who with their masks.

"This is the fourth bloody night this week, Rowle!" The first one exclaimed. "If I wanted to do nothing but stand here and stare at nothing, I would have gone to Azkaban!"

"Quiet, Nott!" Rowle snapped. "The Dark Lord is shooting curses left and right already! Ever since we found that Malfoy brat!" I felt the three of us tense at the news of Draco. Hermoine raised her wand, pointing it at Nott. Ron moved to stop her, but she froze him with a glare. He sighed, throwing up a quick Silencing Charm around us. I saw her lips form the word 'Imperio'. Nott's body sagged.

"Ask him what happened to the Malfoy boy." I heard Hermoine whisper. Nott turned to Rowle.

"Say, what did happen to that Malfoy boy?" Rowle looked at him, confused, then shrugged.

"From what I know, he was locked up. His father and Lestrange went to see him. Next thing I know, he's squealing like a woman." Ron quickly grabbed my shoulders as I started to charge towards them. My vision blurred with rage.

"Let me go!" I hissed. Ron's grip tightened, bumping us into Hermoine. She broke her gaze on the Death Eaters, which lifted the curse off Nott. Nott shook his head, dumbly, resuming his position. Rowle stiffened, taking out his wand.

"Harry! Ronald, stop! They'll spot us!" Hermoine pleaded. Ron put so much weight on my shoulders, it forced me down to my knees. My knee caught on the fabric of the cloak, pulling it off of Ron and Hermoine.

"Hey!" Rowle yelled. Nott, too, turned and saw them, before running into the mansion, yelling for reinforcements. Ron and Hermoine shared a brief look, then took off running. Rowle pursued them, sending curse after curse at them. I raised my wand ready to throw a spell, but Hermoine stopped, aiming her wand straight at me.

"_Petrificus Tempus Totalus!" _The spell zoomed past Rowle, and slammed into me. My entire body froze instantly, completely hidden under the cloak. I watched helplessly as Rowle sent a Stunning Spell straight for Hermoine's chest, then at Ron's back. They both collapsed to the ground, unconcious, and I still watched as Death Eaters dragged them into the mansion. They slammed the massive doors shut, leaving only Rowle outside, still guarding. My mind ran around and around with rage. I wanted nothing more right now than to unfreeze and punch Rowle in the face, then to find Draco.

I didn't even realize that torture was a possibility. And with Bellatrix no doubt? I felt sick to my stomach, thinking of Neville's parents. What if Draco wasn't strong enough? What if he cracks before I could find him? Rowle paced back and forth in front of the door, completely unaware that I was only feet away from him, in an emotional whirlwind.

After a while, the stiffness in my limbs started to ease. I could feel the wand in my grasp again. I was thankful I wasn't able to speak, because the extreme burning sensation in my hand where the wand was fighting off the curse would have made me scream if I could. I fought to glare at the wand as it, for the lack of a better word, seethed. When the curse finally lifted, I dropped the wand. An angry red welt went straight across my palm where blisters were starting to form. I picked it up in my other hand, struggling to hold it steady.

"_Imperio_," I whispered, aiming Draco's wand at Rowle. He started to shake from head to toe, trying to fight off the curse but soon it took hold, his form sagging. "I want you to open the door and lead me to Draco Malfoy." He nodded and turned to lead me into the Manor.

Death Eaters ignored us as I followed him, hidden, down to the dungeons. He led me into the heavily warded room, closing the door behind us. I looked around the dark room, muttering a quick _Lumos_, and ran deep into the cold stone room. Rowle followed, waiting for my next order, when I caught a flash of white hair out of the corner of my eye. I flung off the cloak running over to him. Draco was chained in a small alcove, lying awkwardly on the ground with his back to me. I stopped, scared to approach him when I saw that his shirt was tattered and bloodstained. I swallowed audibly, and slowly walked up to him, taking care to avoid the puddle of blood gathering under him.

"Draco?" I whispered. He whimpered, eyes closed. He curled in on himself, then cringed in pain. "Draco," I said louder. He shook.

"Please," he moaned. "Leave me alone." His voice was thick with pain. I took a deep breath, fighting the urge to gag. I should have been here sooner. I should have known-I shook it off. Now wasn't the time. I had to get Draco out of here.

"You!" I called, pointing at Rowle. "Release him." He stiffened, fighting the command, but couldn't help himself as he waved his wand, causing the chains around Draco's wrist to snap open. Draco groaned loudly as his arms fell to the ground. I caught him under his shoulders, dragging him away from the blood. He curled in on himself as I held him. "Rowle!" He stiffened. "Go outside to the back of the house and wait for the other Wizards to grab you." He turned and left the room, leaving me and Draco alone.

"Draco?" He didn't respond. "Draco, it's me. It's Harry. Remember?" He shook his head, whimpering. My heart sank, and I grew desperate. "It's Harry, remember? We met in first year. You wanted to be my friend, but I blew you off. We hated each other for five years, but then you got the Dark Mark," he sobbed, covering his face. "...to save your mother. You had an older sister named Issy."

"Issy!" he sobbed. "Issy, Harry, Mother, I'm so sorry! I couldn't fight it! They made me tell! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He hid his face, sobbing hysterically. His fingers clawed into his scalp and he started rocking back and forth, getting louder. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" I sighed, thinking what would Hermoine do. When Ron and I would panic, she would snap us out of it. I stood, aiming Draco's own wand at him.

"I'm sorry, too." I said before sending a Stinging Jinx at him. He yelped, jumping to his feet, cradling his arm. His eyes flew open to glare at me.

"What the bloody hell was that for, Potter?!" he snapped. All he got in reply was a large sigh of relief, before I embraced him. He froze, then slowly wrapped his arms around me. "Merlin, I thought I was hallucinating!"

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, Draco." He pulled away, gathering his composure. He started to straighten his shirt, but no matter how he turned it, it showed shallow cuts decorating his chest. "Oh, Draco." I started forward, but his glare stopped me.

"I could've had worse, Harry. You know that." His face was set in determination, but I could see in his eyes exactly how close the worst had come. My hands ached to hold him and never let go, to get him out of here and keep him safe, but I knew if I tried I would get jinxed seven ways to Sunday. "Harry, we have to get my mother."

"And Ron and Hermoine." I added. He huffed and rolled his eyes.

"Of course, them too. If they got caught, they're going to be taken straight to You-Know-Who." He paused, his face paling. "Harry, if they're here, that makes me look like the one who-"

"_Drakey!_" Bellatrix screeched. We jumped, then ran to the far end of the room, hiding behind one of the large columns. "Drakey, the Dark Lord would like to speak with you." We saw her look into the alcove, then she shrieked. She pulled out her wand, but then I realized it was my wand. I glared at Draco and he shook his head.

He took my arm and pulled me back further in the shadows. I opened my mouth to speak, but he pressed a finger to my lips, shaking his head. He then made a sweeping motion with his arms, bringing them together over his head. My brows furrowed in confusion. He silently huffed. He did it again, this time mouthing words. A chill ran through me when I understood the word 'cloak'. I looked around franctically and fought not to curse. I left it by the alcove, inches away from Bellatrix's feet. Draco followed my gaze and when he saw it, he did gasp. Bellatrix's head whipped around and a ugly smile crept on her face.

"Drakey, where are you hiding my little serpent?" she called in a sing-song voice. I held up my wand, willing my heart to calm down, and that damn wand to stop burning my bloody hand! I hissed in pain. Draco looked at me, then the wand, and I shook my head. _Don't ask_, I wanted to say. The Death Eater was coming closer, thankfully without noticing the cloak. Then looking at the cloak, I had an idea.

I shoved the wand into Draco's hand, briefly noticing the burning subsiding to a warm throb. Before he could protest, I pushed him towards the cloak, and I ran. Bellatrix shrieked as I ran past her and out of the dungeon.

"_Potter!_" She yelled, giggling. Spells sped past me, the air around me smelled acrid, like burning skin and hair. We ran past bewildered Death Eaters, but I soon felt more spells coming toward me. I ran deep into the Manor, weaving between more and more Death Eaters, until I finally had to stop. They surrounded me, laughing darkly. Bellatrix came through the fray, smiling and waving my wand tauntingly. "No Expelliarmus, Potter?"

I stood straighter, forming my face into what I hoped was Draco's smirk. "No, Bella. The only reason I'm here with you is because you are easy to manipulate. How will the Dark Lord react when he finds out his little pet lost Draco Malfoy?" Her face twisted into a outraged sneer.

"_Seize him!_" She screeched, higher and louder than neccessary. Black robes closed in around me, and dozens of hands grabbed me roughly. They dragged me away to the main ballroom, but I just smiled when I saw the front door open and a shimmer of invisible cloth, before it closed.


	11. Chapter 11

**DRACO'S POV:**

I cursed myself as the large door to the Manor clicked shut behind me. I felt like a snivelling coward. _Certainly wouldn't be the first time_, the hissing voice said in my head. I shuddered, securing the cloak tighter around me, and took off to the far side of the mansion. The Manor has definitely been neglected since I left. The massive gardens that Mother walked with a horde of elves, ready to tend to any ill flowers, every day, now looked more like a memorial for what the garden was. The bushes and bushes of roses were withered and brown. The one tree standing in the center, that could grow any fruit you desire, was bare and black, charred from dark magic...Someone squeaked, then there was a thud.

"_Shh!_" a quiet voice hissed. I held up the wand Harry gave me, pausing again when it gave an excited pulse. What a peculiar wand! I approached the voices slowly, nearing the back of the Manor.

"Honestly, Alastor!" a woman huffed. "We knew from the beginning I was a clutz! You can't expect me to stand on solid ground and _nothing_ happens!" The man's voice grumbled something about pink-haired pixies, then yelped. "I told you not to call me that!" I chanced a look around the corner, which made me feel foolish, realizing I was under the cloak, but I didn't move.

It was a group of around fifteen witches and wizards. I could recognize the werewolf, Lupin, and the Auror, Mad-Eye Moody, and I was suprised to see Severus standing there, with a look of annoyance on his face. There was a tiny woman standing near Mad-Eye, her hair caught between a wild shade of orange and white. Lupin was pacing, looking up at the walls of the mansion, his face a sickly shade of white. There were also quite a few Ministry officials there, but I couldn't think of their names. Lupin casted a quick Tempus charm.

"We have twelve more minutes," he groaned, bouncing on his feet impatiently. Mad-Eye and a few others shushed him, getting a glare in return.

"Easy, Remus." The slight woman said, warmly. He gave her a small smile, then continued looking at the Manor wall. I took a step forward, then winced. Mad-Eye Moody's magic eye whipped around in its socket and zeroed in on me. I could tell it could see me. Its focus was to precise.

"Come on out, Mr. Malfoy." Mad-Eye grumbled. "The ferret-thing was a one-time deal."

"So, it was you?" I asked, removing the cloak. He smiled. I balled the fabric up, shrinking it and stashing it in my pocket.

"No," his smile grew into a smirk. "But Harry was more than happy to tell me what had happened." I sneered, which made him chuckled. The small woman stepped forward, stumbling over her own two feet.

"Draco," she started, nervously. "I'm Nymphadora Tonks, your cousin, but please, call me Tonks." She held out her hand, the simple act making her fight for balance. Her hair transformed to solid white, shocking me to take a step back. She held out her hands, giggling. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot to mention that I'm a Metamorphmagus." She lowered one hand, offering the other to me. I took it and shook. Her hair gradually grew dark green. She ran a hand through it, admiring it. "That's a new one. Very Slytherin-y." I smiled, despite myself. Mad-Eye jumped between us, waving his wand around like a lunatic.

"Enough with the reunion! We've got to storm the Mansion! We have five minutes." The wizards visibly bristled, brandishing their wands. He walked up to me, coming almost nose-to-nose. "Any way in besides the front door, boy?" Boy?! I stood straighter, using my height to stand a head over him.

"There is a tunnel under the house. My sister," I choked on the word, but pressed on, "My sister and I used it to hide things from our parents." He grunted in agreement, before standing back, urging me to lead them.

"Where?" Tonks asked. Her hair turned orange again, and her eyes turned almost cat-like, anticipating the tunnel's darkness, I guess.

"This way." I started walking towards the stone fountain directly across from the garden. The fountain was similar to the one in the Ministry. All the different magic creatures in the Wizarding world standing on different levels with water pouring from each one. The water wasn't running, though. I've never seen the fountain so dry before. This and the garden spoke volumes on how much of this Manor's excellence was my mother's doing. Worry crept back up in my heart thinking that if I didn't hurry, this mansion would stay dry and dead. If they didn't already think my mother was responsible for that article, me coming for her would definitely put them on her trail. Not to mention Harry coming after me. I sighed.

That foolish, Gryffindor bastard! What made him think I was more capable of finishing this than he was was beyond me! I accepted a long time ago that he was more powerful, taking comfort that I knew more about the world we're in than he did. It was a hard road to trek, believe me. I never thought there would ever be a day that I would accept that no matter what I did, he would always be better.

"Is this it?" Tonks spoke up, pulling me out of my thoughts. She had a hand stretched towards the mermaid's tail, pointing towards the crack running up the carved scales. "Draco, is this how you get in-oomph!" She tripped on a blade of grass, landing on the edge of the fountain, head hanging in the main basin.

"It is now." I said, dryly. She sat up, confused. I walked over to her, bending around to reach the snake coin, embedded in the stone, hidden under the rim. I felt the engraved words with my fingertips and I could recall Issy holding her breath under the water, trying to read the words. The accidental discovery we had when she said the words aloud. "_Sum puritatis superbiae sanguis Malfoy._"

A loud, thundering rumble came from under the fountain. The stone shook, causing the wizards to back away nervously. Tonks struggled to her feet and stood behind me, amazed. I watched as the stone in the bottom of the basin slid away in panels, into the rim and the earth behind it, revealing a spiralling stone staircase.

"Merlin, Draco!" Tonks gasped. I ignored her, climbing over the rim, and starting down the stairway.

"Come on!" I called. "We don't have much time." I heard more than saw the others climb into the fountain, following me. When we were underground, there were almost a dozen voices murmuring '_Lumos_' before the entire tunnel was as bright as the outside. We made our way towards the Manor, the way falling before me easier than I thought. Memories of me and Issy running through the paved tunnels under the house ran through the room with us like ghosts. More than once I could hear her laugh.

Tonks once again, stumbled, almost taking me with her. "Wotcher, Draco." I rolled my eyes. Certainly this clumsiness wasn't a Black trait! "Where does this lead?" The question fell dead when we reached what me and Issy called the Spider Room. Eight tunnels broke off in front of us, some crumbling with what look like spell damage, the others perfectly intact. "Which one?" she asked.

I shook my head, unsure. "This one," I pointed to the one in the center, "leads to the library and sun room." I pointed to the tunnel on the far left. "That one leads to the forest bordering our grounds." I pointed to the crumbling one next to it. "We tried that one, and I think it led to the kitchen, but it had caved in a long time ago." Mad-Eye grumbled impatiently. I sighed. "Look, we don't have time to try each one."

"Then point the one closest to You-Know-Who." Mad-Eye snapped.

I whirled around to face him, my face twisted in a sneer. "If I knew, do you think I'd be standing here?" He moved closer, so close I could smell pepper on his breath.

"Look, kid, if we lose Harry because you're standing here wasting time, I will personally make your life a living Hell."

"And if _I_ lose Harry because I'm standing here bickering with you, I'll pitch myself off the roof of this house!" I heard someone suck in a breath. I didn't care to find out who. "Now that we understand each other..." I turned back to the tunnels, trying to picture how the tunnels fit under the layout of the house. "Now, if that tunnel," the tunnel on the far right, that was completely inaccessible, "leads to the gates, then that one," the one next to it, "leads to my father's study." The main ballroom was next to the main parlour and down the hall from the dining room. "It might be this one," pointing to the decaying tunnel on the right of the center tunnel.

"Might?" That crazed, whirly-eyed Auror repeated.

"Yes, if you would rather Apparate into the dungeons and save snake-face the trouble of capturing you, if not killing you, then by all means, help yourself." He started towards me, but Lupin grabbed his arm, pulling back the ruffled Auror.

"It's alright, Alastor." The werewolf's voice was soft, but worry made the words jagged, forced. "If Mr. Malfoy thinks this is the way, then we best hurry." The Auror snatched his arm back, glowering.

"I hate kids!" He mumbled. I smirked, starting down the tunnel. Everyone, including the embarrassed Mad-Eye, followed.

The tunnel was dark, with only one wand illuminated. Tonk's held up the lone light, smiling at me. She was the only one walking beside me in the narrow pathway. The rest were far back, whispering.

The tunnel weaved and ducked, sometimes narrowing our group to pass through it one at a time. Tiles and dirt periodically fell on our heads, scraping our faces and blinding us in dust. We continued on as quick as we could, despite the decaying tunnel's obstacles. We eventually reached a small trapdoor in the ceiling of the tunnel. The panel was hot to the touch and I could faintly smell soot. We were near the massive fireplace in the ballroom. We heard footsteps above our heads and faint echoes of people talking.

"This is it!" I said, relieved. This was the right one. Harry is right above us, waiting. Now to just open the door-I pushed the latch free and pushed the panel. It didn't budge. My heart sank. "No!" I shoved my body weight into the door. Still wouldn't budge. I grabbed the lock shaking it, trying to loosen the hinges of the panel, when a burst of magic exploded, sending me back into the opposite wall. I faintly heard Tonks crying out my name, but my Mind's Eye swallowed my vision:

_Spells flying everywhere. Witches and Wizards, both light and dark, firing spells rapidly...gracefully, like dancers. A woman with white hair dragging a young man with unruly black hair towards a hole in the floor. A snake-face maniac and a curly-haired woman intercepting them, throwing spells. The white-haired woman defending the man, who was defenseless. The two separate. The maniac corners the man. The man faces him, bravery shining like fire in his green eyes. Another flash of green. The eyes lose light. He dies. _

A loud boom sounded through the room, pulling me out of my vision. My vision was blurred with tears and I could barely hear Tonks and Snape calling my name over my sobs. I took Snape's robes in my hand, panicked.

"They're going to kill him, Professor! Harry's going to die!" The Potions Master took a grip in my hair, the pain helping me focus on his voice.

"Go and take him somewhere safe." His voice, though calm, cut through my mind like a finely-honed knife. "Save him and your vision won't come true." I nodded, now seeing the wizards disappearing above into the ballroom. Spells and shouts sounded through room above, fuelling my desperation to reach Harry. "Go!" He shouted. I went.

The ballroom was absolute chaos. Spells and jinxes flew inches above my head. The fray was just as I saw it, but the only thing on my mind was getting to Harry. My mother would find him and try to bring him to safety. If I am with them, if there was another wand, maybe, just maybe...

The two were in the middle of the battle, hopelessly searching for an escape. All the entrances were blocked by wizards duelling. Mother was frantic, throwing up defensive spell after defensive spell over Harry while fighting off Death Eaters. Harry stood there, tense, at a complete loss without a wand. I rushed over to them, dodging spells and bodies as they flew all around me.

"Mother!" I called. She spun, wand drawn, then sighed in relief. Harry looked up at my voice, too, his face blurred by the magic shielding him. Mother embraced me tightly, the smell of her hair, lavender, made me want to break down, hold her forever, but a Killing Curse grazed us, singing her hair, pulling us back to reality.

"I missed you, my son." She said over the noise. Harry stepped toward me, but my mother's stern look stopped him. "You stay in there, Mr. Potter! You're the one who needs to live." My heart swelled as I watched my mother protect him as fiercely as she would protect me, if I weren't throwing my own share of spells.

One of the Carrow brothers stepped forward, sneering. My mother was distracted, weaving another shield around Harry. I met his challenge, knowing Harry was in good hands for now. We raised our wands, then he threw a Stinging Jinx. I blocked it, returning with a Body-Bind. He jumped out of the way, letting it hit another Death Eater, who crumpled to the ground in front of Mr. Weasley. He sent a Slicing Spell. I countered with a Sleeping Jinx.

He was getting angrier with each spell. Each spell he sent grew more dangerous, deadly. The determination behind it seemed to make it more than just being on opposite sides. He sent off a Cruciatus Curse, then I knew this is personal. During the duel, my mother and Harry were swallowed by the crowd, completely out of sight. I needed to get out of here and take them with me.

"You slick-haired, spoiled brat!" He yelled, sending another Cruciatus. I blocked it, but just barely, sending back a Disarming Spell. He sent it away as if batting away a wasp. "You and your sister both were so absorbed in yourselves! You thought yourselves so high and _mighty!_" I fell to the ground to avoid a Burning Hex. "The two of you needed to get a serious reality check, but no one would take the job. So it was up to me..." I scrambled to get up, dread flowing through me like lead. He stalked closer, but I was trapped. A solid wall of duelling wizards surrounded us, and I couldn't see Harry or Mother anywhere. I held up a feeble shield under the angry onslaught of his spells. "Your little _bitch_ of a sister was such a snot-nosed prude!" His choice of words made the dread stronger, but a small spark of anger flared, making myself stand straighter. "She was the Dark Lord's little princess, a Malfoy, his little favorite band of Purebloods, then she had the nerve to _not want it_. She had you convinced, too, but you were still young. I knew if I left you alive you would come around."

Rage surged through my veins like fire. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the wand Harry gave me glow brilliantly, as if it was hot metal. He fired off another Stinging Hex. I returned with a Choking Hex. He barely ducked it before he kept talking, "That night by the pond was the perfect opportunity." He shot a Leg-Locking Jinx, and it hit. I fell to the ground, my wand landing an inch too far from my hand. I reached for it, but couldn't get it. My heart sank as he stood over me. "You were so pathetic, Draco. Screaming, crying, and fighting like a girl. Your sister was more impressive. She put up the fight of her life." He swatted away my outstretched hand, leaving the wand just barely out of reach. His fingers curled around my throat, squeezing. I gasped, fighting for air, my blood pounding in my ears. "Her thrashing and her screaming made her impossibly tight, Draco. I never thought I would ever have such a good fuck again. Then I realized I still have you. I can't wait to spoil that lily-white arse of yours, little Malfoy." Suddenly, the fingers disappeared with an 'oomph'. I barely caught a mess of black hair before I saw Harry pinning Carrow to the ground.

"He's taken, bastard!" Harry began throwing punches, each one harder than the last. Carrow cowered under the assault. I ran over to them, pulling Harry off of him.

"Harry, stop!" He struggled against me, bucking and screaming in rage.

"He's mine!"

"_Harry!"_ He looked at me, outraged. I held him to me, willing him to calm down. He relaxed only a fraction, but pulled back.

"What are you doing, Draco? He killed Issy!" The Death Eater was still on the ground, stunned, unaware of the battle dwindling behind him, our side outnumbering the Death Eaters. I looked into his eyes. Those nasty, dark eyes that have haunted my memories for years. Endless nightmares where I wanted to be the hero, but only ended up another victim.

"He's mine." I said, darkly. Harry gripped my arm, but I shook him off. He protested weakly, but both of us knew. We shared the memory, so I knew as well as Harry did that this would end the nightmares. This would give me the courage to face Issy's gravestone for the first time. The hissing voice in my head slithered around my thoughts.

_Kill_, I shuddered. Harry sucked in a sharp breath behind me. _Kill. _Carrow looked me in the eye, and paled considerably. I couldn't stop staring at his face. His big, burly form that so easily overpowered me and Issy. Issy screaming for help. Her little brother drowning in a pond swirling with his sister's blood, and being pulled out with her corpse. _Kill. _I reached for the wand, the blue of the wood darkened and smoke curled from the tip. _Kill._ Anger boiled inside me, overflowing. I held my wand in front of his face, staring coldly in his eyes. Harry placed a hand on my shoulder, as if saying _Whatever you do, I'm here. _My hand shook as I wove the wand in a complicated pattern.

"_Incarcerous._" Chains, instead of ropes, snaked around Carrow's body then locked tightly around him, sure to leave bruises everywhere the links touched. I could hear Harry's sigh in relief, then sucked in a sharp breath again in pain.

"He's here." He said through gritted teeth. "You need to get out of here. Take your mother and go back to Hogwarts." I stood, turning on him.

"_Me!?_ What about you? You're the one who's prophecized to die!" Harry cringed in pain, holding his forehead. I took his shoulders, holding him up. He leaned into me, before shoving me away.

"If you stay alive, I'll do what I have to."

_Merlin, _I thought, _He's going to kill him. _"No. I'm not leaving you. It doesn't have to be you." All around us, the Order was gathering Death Eaters, piling them together for the Aurors. Surely, some were coming, right? "I'm staying with you."

"No, you are not. _Dobby!"_ The elf appeared with a crack, cowering at our feet. "Take Draco and his mother back to Hogwarts." Mother walked over to us, covered with sweat and burns, but otherwise, untouched.

"Come, Draco." She said softly. "Mr. Potter has the Order of the Pheonix to protect him. We aren't needed here." A lump rose in my throat. I can't leave him. There isn't anything in the world that could tear him away from Harry right now.

"I'm not leaving you, Harry!" I took his shoulders roughly and shook him. "You can't make me!" He shoved me away again. This time I fell.

"Yes, I can!" He said coldly. His face shifted, hard as stone, and hate blazing in his eyes. "Go back to your little room and hide there like the snake you are!" The words hit me like a punch, knocking the wind out of me. I stood, shakily, fighting the burning tears in my eyes.

"You don't mean that." I replied.

"Mean what? That you're a loathsome little arse of a man that always has to have his way or he'll show the world what a little whiny bitch he is? Then, yes, I mean it. Get out of here, Draco." He stretched his neck to the side, grimacing. When his eyes opened again, they looked like the eyes of a snake. "Get the hell out of here, you freak!" He pushed me again, then Dobby. "Take them." Mother took my hand, savagely crushing my fingers in hers, then took the elf's hand. Dobby bowed his head to Harry, then a nod to Mother. Mother loosened her grip on my fingers as the room swirled away from us, and we were immersed in a confusion of sound and color.

My Mind's Eye seared inside my head. An image of Harry's face flashed behind my eyes. His stone hard face crumpled, and the burning in his eyes disappeared as a single tiny tear fell down his cheek. _He's going to die!_ My voice screamed. I scrambled for any solution, any way to go back. Dobby would never take me back. Mother would lock me up in chains if she thought that was the only way to keep me safe, so only one solution could be done.

I braced myself, holding my breath, as I yanked my hand from my mother's grip and Apparated back to Malfoy Manor. Apparating when I don't know how?...Splinching myself for the simple task of going back?...Possibly killing myself just to save the love of my life? How ridiculously Gryffindor-ish of me!


	12. Chapter 12

**HARRY'S POV:**

The members of the Order surrounded me after the two Malfoys Disapparated. It was a good thing, too. My legs wobbled and I couldn't breathe through the burning in my chest. Draco had looked so betrayed and hurt, but I couldn't let him stay. I don't care what he thinks the prophecy means, he's not going to come in between me and Voldemort.

Tonks, with a smudged face and charcoal gray hair, came over and put a hand on my shoulder. "If it was me, I would have done the same thing." She emphasized it by turning her eyes green, hair black, and a lightning bolt scar on her forehead. If she was trying to make me smile, it worked. It's amazing how she could make me look better on her than on me.

Mad-Eye Moody stepped up, smirking and holding up his wand. "Enough with the mood swings! Get ready! He's coming." The entire room faced the entrance to the massive ballroom, waiting. In the anxious silence, we heard the murmur of voices, the volume rising as more numbers gathered. "There should always be one of us with Harry!" Moody ordered. "No matter what happens, Potter is not to be left alone!" Our crowd agreed quietly, while we heard a woman, Bellatrix, laugh maniacally. Tonks took my arm in a firm grip, pulling me to the back of the crowd, while the others came together, blocking my view.

"Wotcher, Harry." Tonks whispered. "Try to stay behind me."

"Tonks, I..." I started, but she cut me off.

"Remus told me about your prophecy. I don't care what that crazy, one-eyed toad says." She looked back at me, eyes boring deep into mine. "I will get you as close as I can. When you can, do what you have to."

"Tonks, that's not me. I can't kill anybody-" Tonks roughly took my collar and shook me.

She pulled me close and almost hissed, her eyes narrowing to yellow slits, "Do what you have to, Harry. I'm tired of fighting." I opened my mouth to respond, but it was lost to the loud blast of the door exploding, wooden pieces and metal hinges flying around us. "Run, Harry! To the fireplace, run!" I did as she told, her following me, shooting hexes. I ducked and weaved as curses flew past me in a myriad of colors. There were too many bright green spells flying past us.

Death Eaters scrambled throughout the room. From the looks of things, there were two Death Eaters for every Order member. Tonks pushed me beside the fireplace, forcing me to crouch beside the stone mantle as spells ricocheted around us. I watched, helpless again, as members of the Order were being captured one by one. These Death Eaters were better, or the Order was tired. Either way, they were no match for this wave of Dark Wizards.

"Harry!" Tonks yelled, blocking curses from Lucius and Bellatrix. My scar was blazing like fire as _he _drew nearer. "Harry, it's no use. Go into the tunnels. Get the hell out of here!"

"It's too late," I cried out. The scar felt white-hot and I fought not to scream. He saw me and now that he saw me, he wouldn't let me escape. I screwed my eyes shut, the light stinging my eyes like glass. I could see the battle still, but from a different angle, from an alcove. It was like I stood to the side, watching the chaos, waiting for that scar-headed little brat! I raised my wand, the white wood glowing with a green light, before a green beam of light shot out...towards a slight woman with what was now bright yellow hair.

"Tonks!" I called, tackling her to the ground, as the Killing Curse barely passed over us. She looked around dazed, before looking at me, her hair bleeding to white and her eyes gray. It was too similar to Draco, too soon.

I backed off of her, pain lancing through both my chest and my head as strong arms grabbed me. Lucius held my arms roughly, his lines too sharp and his eyes like a layer of ice over mud. Nothing like his son. Bellatrix pinned Tonks down, my wand pressed into her throat. I fought the man's bruising grip, pain pulsing through my brain. I groaned in agony. He was coming closer. The fighting had dulled to Death Eaters mulling around, restraining the Order, or stepping over bodies. I could see a too-still form of Mad-Eye, his magical eye still and dull in its socket, and some unknown faces, staring at me, lifeless. Tears stung again and I bit my lip to keep them at bay.

I could now see Voldemort approaching. His bare feet ghosting beneath his robe, and his serpentine face, grinning in delight. He took in us, pinned and caught, and chuckled. "Tie her up," he said to Bellatrix. She wrapped Tonks in a thick series of ropes from head to toe, only puffs of her angry, orange hair showing through. "Take them away." He called to the room over his shoulder. Order members struggled and swore as they were dragged or levitated out of the room. I fought against the elder Malfoy's grip, cursing them, but they just let me fight, ignoring me. One of the bulkier Death Eaters hauled Tonks over his shoulder, carrying her screaming form out of the room.

When the main doors were closed, only two Death Eaters other than Lucius and Bellatrix stayed, but they came in holding Hermoine and Ron. Ron was bloodied and beaten, almost limp in the heavy man's arms. Hermoine stared at me, terror-stricken, a thin, dried trail of blood down her cheek. Lucius hauled me to my feet, bringing me in front of Voldemort. The Dark Lord came forward, running a ice cold hand down my cheek. My scar felt as if it was boiling off my skin. I flinched as he leaned in, his face hovering inches away from me. I looked away as I could almost feel him smile that menacing grin, reminding me strangely of a nightmarish Cheshire Cat.

He held out his hand and Bellatrix placed my wand in it. He waved the wand in front of my face. My fingers curled, desperate to have the wand, and to end this, one way or another. "You see, Harry Potter, the only thing keeping me from killing you is the simple fact that our _wands_," he waved my wand again, "are too similar." Before I could stop him, he took it in both hands and snapped it in half. The crack of the wood hit me like a blow to the chest and the air rushed out of my lungs. "Problem resolved." He grinned again, backing away.

He turned away, gesturing to Hermoine and Ron. "A little questioning of these two brought some very interesting information to light. It appears that our little Malfoy is quite the cunning son of Slytherin after all. Faking his death? Hiding under the protection of the third most powerful wizard of all time? Besides me and dear, daffy Dumbledore, am I right, boy?" He laughed, grabbing a handful of Hermoine's hair, giving it a firm jerk. Hermoine gasped, and I attempted to break free, cursing him, but Lucius held fast. "This little Mudblood fought our Legilimency so hard, but weak blood means weak defenses." He released her, moving to Ron, still limp. "This blood-traitor, however, is very stubborn. We finally had to use the girl to get him to talk." He took Ron's chin, inspecting his face, before dropping it.

"Keep your filthy hands off of them, Tom!" Voldemort's fingers curled into claws, before he relaxed again. He walked over towards me, stopping a few feet away. He waved a hand in Lucius' direction, and I was released. I fell to the ground, my arms aching as the blood returned. Voldemort paced in front of me, twiddling the ashen wand in his fingers.

"Such disrespect for those more powerful. I have spent years dreaming of this moment." He held up his wand, almost giggling with excitement. "The great Harry Potter, dead at last." The older Malfoy forced me to my knees, then moved away. Bellatrix mirrored him on the other side, a grin splitting her face. Voldemort's eyes shone brightly with excitement. Hermoine was crying, begging for this to stop. Ron groaned, shifting groggily. The first thing he would see would be me, dead. That and that alone scared me as everything slowed around me. Watching Voldemort raise his wand, laughing, and the Death Eaters hold their breath in anticipation, an eerie calm fell over me. I vaguely heard Voldemort shout the curse, as if I was underwater. Then my face felt wet. I was crying.

As the green beam of light shot toward me like a vicious bolt of lightning, I realized. My tears weren't from knowing I was about to die. It was from knowing I was about to die and the last thing Draco heard, and saw, was me being a hateful git. That I would never see him again. My eyes slid closed when the brightness of the curse's beam became too much.

* * *

**DRACO'S POV:**

The whirlwind of light and sound suddenly turned into silence and into colors of black and green. I was close. I hoped that this excruciating pain I was in wasn't anything life-threatening. It wouldn't do any good to come back for Harry only to get my dumb arse killed because of it. The green was getting brighter, so bright that I had to shut my eyes. I felt the pressure of Apparition vanish and the pain I was in increased ten-fold. I could feel myself falling, and I could hear myself screaming, but most of all, I could feel the wand in my hand grow white-hot and my magic pouring out of it like a tidal wave. I hit a half-soft, half-solid surface as the bright green light shone over us as if through water.

* * *

**HARRY'S POV:**

The Killing Curse struck a magical barrier that looked like a rippling pool of water. The curse's green light hit the shield, and refracted into two beams that continued past us. I heard two heavy thuds hit the floor behind us.

"_Draco!_" Hermoine gasped. Ron shook his head from side to side, coming to. When his eyes finally cleared, he paled seeing me and Voldemort, and the heavy weight on top of me. The weight had blond, almost white, hair. This man had pale skin like porcelain and eyes like a river reflecting a thunderstorm.

"Draco!" I gasped, too. He groaned as his eyes opened, then his face contorted in pain as he screamed. He rolled off of me, writhing on the floor. His wand laid abandoned beside him, but the blue of the wood was sizzling, with curling tendrils of smoke rising off of it, and the tip was glowing bright white, the shield's power still pulsing from it. Draco screamed again, pulling my attention back. Blood was soaked through his white shirt around his chest. Hermoine and Ron fought and thrashed against their captors. Ron was pushed onto the floor, pinned face-first. Hermoine had a wand pressed to her throat. Voldemort was pacing outside the magic barrier, glaring at the wand lying alone on the floor, powering the spell without a wizard holding it.

"Harry." Draco gasped, then cried out in pain. I held him to me, shushing him as he whimpered, blood soaking me to the skin. "I did it. I stopped the vision from happening." His smile was weak, but his eyes reflected the happiness he was trying to show. A lump clogged my throat as his eyes teared up in joy.

"Yes, you did." Draco's smile got bigger. The wand's power was starting to falter. Voldemort held up his wand in anticipation as the shield's power started to wane. I gently lowered him, reaching for the ocean-blue wand, holding it firmly as it warmed in my grip. I started forward, my stomach rolling at the wet, sticky feeling of Draco's blood on my shirt, when Draco took a strong hold of my pant's leg.

"Don't go, Harry." The wand's light grew brighter, sending another weak pulse of magic into the barrier, holding it up for a little longer. "Stay with me." I knelt down long enough to kiss his forehead, but I pulled back as he reached for me.

"I can't," I replied, my voice weak. His face fell in fear, pain, and betrayal. I shook my head, "I have to end this, Draco."

"Just say it, then." he pleaded. "Please, Harry, say it."

I swallowed the lump down, "I love you." Draco gave me a small smile, before turning away, groaning in pain.

I faced Voldemort, looking at his vile face and felt a new feeling rush through me. It burned like fire, but it was as cold as ice. It locked my heart in a iron grip, but it was pounding as if it was going to fly out of my chest. This man, no, not a man, this _thing_ took everything away from me. My family, my future, even my entire fucking childhood, and then he has the nerve to think he's going to rip me and Draco apart after we just found each other. Draco lying there, in agony and dying, and for what? To protect me from him?!

My hand trembled, and the wand shook as smoke curled from the tip. Almost as it had with Draco as he stared down Carrow, ready to kill him. Did this mean I wanted to kill Voldemort? If I die, so will Hermoine. So will Ron. And so will Draco. A shudder ran through my chest as I bit back a scream of rage. I want to kill him. I _need to kill him._ The barrier's magic suddenly dissipated. Voldemort and I stood feet away from each other. Everything settled in a angry calm, the air hot and cracking like a sky seconds before lightning strikes.

"I hate you." I said, my voice low, and the truth of it surged through me like scalding water. I then realized what hate was. I never hated my uncle or my cousin. I never truly hated Pettigrew for betraying my parents. I almost, almost, hated Bellatrix for killing the only family I had left, but _him_. I realized down to my core that I hated him, and my core spun a spell of bright green, almost as green as my mother's eyes. He raised his wand as I raised Draco's. We looked into each other's eyes, neither one of us faltering. The entire room around us blurred into the background until it was me and him. "It's time for this to end, Tom!"

"And so it shall. _Avada-" _He yelled.

"-_Kedavra!_" I yelled. Both of our wands shot luminous green bolts, the light crashing into each other, melding into one bolt of green lightning. We stared in shock as the spells held each other at bay.

"This is impossible!" Voldemort yelled, outraged. I chanced a glance over to Draco, who had his eyes locked on me, his hand extended. The wand in my hand blazed in white-hot power as the green bolts fought to break free. "_This is impossible!"_ We were both losing strength with this magical tug-of-war fast. My heart pounded. I wouldn't be able to hold on much longer.

Voldemort and I focused on only ourselves, so we didn't hear the chaos going around us.

* * *

**DRACO'S POV:**

Harry's hand was shaking holding that odd blue wand. The combined spells, looking like a large bolt of green lightning, was stretched between them, colliding in the center. Except the center was getting closer and closer to Harry with each passing second.

My head was dizzy and my entire body felt chilly. I knew I wouldn't be able to stay awake much longer. My head for the first time, though, didn't hurt. In fact, now that I could reach my Mind's Eye, it felt crystal clear for the first time in years. _Look behind you, git!_ that snake-like voice whispered. I shuddered, then did as the voice said. There were two bodies about a yard away from me. One had a huge mass of black and grey curls, the other's long white hair was instantly recognizable. My mind refused to acknowledge them, though. What my eyes only allowed me to see was the ebony walking cane, topped with a snake's head, the handle to Lucius Malfoy's wand.

I rushed over to it, gasping and gritting my teeth against the immense pain in my upper chest and shoulder. So much blood and so much pain. Splinching is sure nothing I would ever want to do again, if I ever get the opportunity, that is.

My vision was starting to cloud with gray fuzz and I could hear my heartbeat in my ears, fighting to keep going. Too much blood. Too much pain. I cried out in joy when my fingers touched the cold silver.

"Draco," Hermoine called. "_Look out!_" I managed to roll an inch far enough to dodge a Death Eater, Crabbe's father, as he dove for me. I felt the wand in my hand, the cold, stinging magic inside recognizing me as a Malfoy.

"_Stupefy!_" I said, sending the flunkie across the room. I heard grunts and sounds of a struggle off to the other side. I looked in time to see Weasley land a hefty blow to the other Death Eater's face. The Death Eater back-handed Weasley, using the distraction to draw his wand and aim it at me.

"Not on my watch, you bastard!" Hermoine yelled before leaping on the Death Eater's back, wrapping her arm around his neck and eyes. Her weight brought him down, where Ron helped her pin him down.

"Bloody hell, Draco!" Ron bellowed. "Kill the snake-faced bastard before he kills Harry!" He said more but I couldn't tell what it was. My hearing faded out, and the room around me was being swallowed by the gray fog. I faintly saw a red-headed blur being sent across the room, and I faintly registered the sound of breaking glass.

My heart was slowing as I turned back to the stand-off between Harry and Voldemort. I was suffering from a severe case of tunnel vision because all I could see clearly was the edge of Voldemort's robe, but I could tell from the brilliant green orb edging towards a small, crouching figure that Harry was almost out of time.

* * *

**HARRY'S POV:**

I was down on my knees, gasping for air, putting every last ounce of magic I could into keeping the spell's combined center from reaching me. Now, it was no longer trying to kill him, but to keep myself alive. The wand's blue wood showed the enormous strain it was under, thin veins of white cracking along the tip, and smoke rising from where my fists were clasped over it. I fought against the pain of the wand burning my palms.

"How is this possible?!" Voldemort said, bewildered.

I felt words rising in my throat, and when they were said, it rang true through me. "Draco's will wants me alive more than you want me dead!" Voldemort's eyes widened, then suddenly another bolt of green flew through the room. The crackling lightning between us vanished, the force sending us sprawled on the ground.

I was the first to get back up, but after looking at the pile of black robes across from me, I was going to be the only one. I realized with a numb sort of relief that where Voldemort stood was a pile of ashes, topped with an ivory, claw-ended wand.

The world slowed impossibly, exhaustion and relief washing over me, sapping the last reserves of my energy. Voldemort was dead, but I couldn't process it.

The doors to the ballroom flew open after what felt like an eternity, but was probably just a few minutes. Lupin was standing at the front of the group, blood spattered across his robes and more haggard-looking than ever. He ran over to Hermoine, who was on the floor struggling with a large, square-headed Death Eater.

"Harry!" A woman with green hair called, alarmed. She rushed up to me, while other members of the Order scattered around the room, searching for anyone injured or dead. She held me by the shoulders, which at this point, was probably the only reason I'm still standing. "Harry, what happened? We've been trying to get in, but there were sealing charms on the door..." she trailed off as she saw the blank look in my eyes. "Harry," she started. When I didn't say anything, she put a hand on my cheek. When I wouldn't take my eyes off of the pile of ashes lying on the floor, she forced my head up to stare into her purple eyes. "Harry, what's wrong? Talk to me, love."

I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but a sob came out, then the dam broke. I collapsed into her arms, screaming, crying, letting everything out. Anger for ripping away my life and throwing me into a living hell of a childhood. Sorrow for my lost family. For my parents and for Sirius. All the pain and exhaustion for fighting every day of my life ever since the fateful day I got this scar. And finally, relief. I could finally live without fearing an inevitable showdown. I could finally laugh with Hermoine and Ron. I could finally finish school and take the time to figure what kind of career I could get. I could finally enjoy the time I spend with the love of my life...

"_Draco!_" Hermoine screamed, shocking all of us. When Tonks and I looked up, she was running over to someoe lying on the floor, too still to be okay. "_Professor Snape, over here!_" Black billowing robes ran up to them, but for the first time I've ever seen, he paused, obviously shaken. Draco was lying there, so pale his skin was glowing in the dimness of the ballroom, and completely still.

Tonks helped me over to the crowd forming. Snape and Lupin knelt on either side of Draco, his blood-stained shirt ripped open. The sight of Draco's chest made me want to vomit, but all I did was collapse to my knees. Draco's chest was bloody, sections of his flesh was ripped away, showing muscle and bone underneath. My stomach lurched as the muscles in his chest twitched right over his heart. I held on to Tonk's tightly, anchoring myself to something solid while we watched Draco's heart beat too slow, and his chest wasn't rising. Tonks tried to make me look away, but I fought her off. Lupin and Snape worked doggedly with spells and wand motions trying to seal the wounds, but it wasn't working.

"We have to get him out of here, Remus!" Tonks shrilled. He looked up at the blue-haired, blue-eyed woman then at me. My heart plummeted at the look in his eyes. I haven't seen that look since the night in the Ministry of Magic, after Sirius fell through the veil.

"No!" I yelled. "He's not dead!" I pushed them away from Draco, and cradled the blond to my chest. "No, Draco, don't you dare give up on me!" I shook him, but his head just lolled from side to side, not responding. "Dammit, Draco, if you die on me, I will never forgive you! Wake up, you pointy-nosed ferret!" He stayed still, bloodied and not breathing.

The blue wand started to heat up again, blazing in my hand like a wildfire. The heat this time was too intense for me to hold it. I dropped it, the wand landing on Draco's chest, pinned between our bodies. The heat increased impossibly, but I ignored it as I held Draco closer, desperate to hear his voice again. "Come back, Draco. Please," I begged.

Fire broke out between us, and everything around us swirled and warped in a myriad of sounds and colors until we were thrown onto a white, tile floor that smelled like cleaning potions and sterilization spells. Healers in pale green robes surrounded us and choas ensued. Three Healers tore Draco out of my arms and carried him off while two more held me back and dragged me to another ward.

"Draco!" I called, my mind reeling, unable to process what was going on. My clothes were stripped off of me, replaced by a simple white set of scrubs. I was yanked from left to right as nurses cleaned me with a combination of spells and potions. Then Healers handed me potion after potion for me to drink, the last one making everything fuzzy around the edges.

Before I faded into darkness, both Healers and nurses milled around me in a buzz of excitement as word got out that You-Know-Who was finally well and truly dead, and killed by a Malfoy no less!


	13. Chapter 13

****Sorry about the re-upload. I forgot this was first-person POV. Silly me, right?****

* * *

**DRACO'S POV: **

Weasley and Granger walked in, finding me once again sitting by Harry's bed. Granger stood behind me, while Weasley just sat on the other side of the room, bandages wrapped thick around his leg, and patches all over his face and neck. He was lucky to only have a broken leg and a scratched face after being hurled out of one of the ballroom's massive windows. Granger managed to escape with only a scratch. Harry was scratch-free, except for the weird burns on his palms, but the reason he was still in a potion-induced sleep was on the inside, not outside.

The Healers called it a long complicated name, but one Healer explained that it was simply nicknamed a Trauma Attack. They said that somehow Voldemort's death triggered Harry's mind and body to feel sixteen years of pain and suffering all at once. Another Healer told me that I should thank my lucky stars that I Splinched myself, because if I didn't, Harry would have probably gone home, exhausted beyond reasoning, and then collapsed as his heart gave out under the assault of his pain.

I was lucky that Harry's wand, not Harry, Apparated us when it did. The Healers had told my mother that I was almost completely gone. It took hours and hours of potions and spells just to make me start breathing again. It took two days for me to wake up, my entire chest buried under bandages and skin-sewing salves.

Now, all I needed was a sling to hold my arm so I wouldn't mess up the thin layer of cloth protecting my new grown skin from damage. The cuts and gashes from my Aunt Bellatrix's artistic form of torture had healed long ago.

"Have you eaten today, Draco?" Granger asked, sounding as exhausted as the rest of us.

"When did you two last visit?" I replied.

"Two days ago. Ron and I had to finish our statements to the Aurors, and we didn't get home until late." I blinked in surprise. It hadn't felt like two days. The entire time I had just sat here, holding Harry's hand, waiting for the Healers to wake him up. Just like I've been sitting here for a little over two weeks, after being released from care. "Draco," Granger sighed, irritated. "Are you honestly telling me you haven't ate for two days?"

"No, I didn't eat because I wasn't aware two days had passed." She huffed, slapping my uninjured shoulder.

"You've already nearly killed yourself once. Are you trying to finish the job?!" She stormed out of the room, shrilling for Harry's Healer.

"Don't tell anyone I said this," Weasley said, chuckling. "But she reminds me of my mom more and more every day." I smirked, getting used to the shaky friendship Weasley and I were forming.

"Found a house with fifteen bedrooms yet?" I joked. "You need all the room you can get if another clan of Weasleys is on the horizon." To my surprise, Weasley laughed. A loud, unrestrained bark of laughter that lit up his bandaged face. When he looked back at me, his shoulders were no longer tense and there was a warm, friendly glow to his face.

"No, we haven't, but I think that I might try a house with only two bedrooms, maybe three if Hermoine wants to." He trailed off, looking away. He turned his attention to a loose edge on his leg bandage.

"Are you two, um, a thing yet?" He looked up at me. "I may not be in the Gryffindor grapevine, but the two of you have been undressing each other with your eyes since fourth year." He smiled, then shook his head.

"No, Draco, we're not." He scratched the back of his neck, shooting a pining look to the door. "I haven't had the nerve to make a move, and after all this..." he trailed off, gesturing towards Harry. That ended the conversation, since I couldn't take my attention off of Harry.

Granger came back a while later, carrying a tray piled with food. A flustered Healer followed her in, glaring at the back of her head before walking over to Harry's prone form. "Well, Mr. Malfoy, I see you're causing quite a fuss among Mr. Potter's family. May I ask why you're not eating?" I rolled my eyes at the forced, sugar-coated tone of the Healer's voice.

"I didn't realize it's been so long since I ate." Granger set up the tray of food next to me, then shoved a sandwich into one hand and pumpkin juice in the other.

"Less talking, more eating, Draco." She asserted. I took a small bite of the stale, almost tasteless sandwich.

I had two more bites and a sip of juice before I continued, "If I have to wait any longer for Harry to wake up, I am going to need a complimentary house elf." The Healer forced a kind smile, but I could see the irritation in her eyes.

"Not to worry, Mr. Malfoy. Your patience is being rewarded. Mr. Potter is about to be taken to the Recovery Ward to be woken up. In a few hours, he'll be ready to go home." My heart lept in my throat and Weasley shot out of his chair. Granger squealed in excitement before forcing another sandwich my way, glaring at me until I ate that, too. I choked down a mouth full of bread when more Healers came in a rolled Harry's bed away. I got up in time to see him exit the ward, the lights reflecting off of his skin, pale in this harsh light.

* * *

**HARRY'S POV:**

Walking through the front door of Grimmauld Place, I sighed in complete relief. Draco was at the other end of the hall, dropping our luggage and stretching his tired muscles. "It's really something when you're given permission to take the year off from Hogwarts." He smiled as he rifled through the bag before retrieving the ocean-blue wand. He came over to me, holding it out. "It was smart to buy another wand before you came to get me. I'm sorry I took your wand, Harry. I never thought that it would end up broken." I took it from him, feeling the wood pulse in my grip, the wand gradually growing hotter. I glared at it when it started to singe the gauze still wrapped around my palms. Draco noticed the wand's resistance.

"That is such an odd wand, though. It doesn't seem to connect to you. You really should have browsed Ollivander's collection, Harry. Don't get me wrong," he said, taking it back to observe it. "it is a _very_ powerful wand, but you can't be the owner if it fights you every step of the way."

I smiled, watching the light reflect off the white, hair-thin fractures radiating from the tip. Of course it would fight me, or cause me pain, why wouldn't it? "Draco, this isn't my wand." His brows furrowed in confusion as he inspected the wand. "I had Ollivander make it from the wood of an alder tree and the feather of a sick pheonix." I paused, measuring Draco's reaction. He still didn't get it. "The feather's power is phenomenal, especially in the hands of its owner. The blue of the wood signifies its innate ability to protect its owner from water, and to protect him with water, so that he no longer has to fear it."

Draco laughed, turning it in the light. I smiled again when I noticed his grip tighten on the handle. "And yes, it is powerful. It's almost as powerful as the wizard I bought it for, the one who became a pheonix long enough to shed a feather for it." Draco's head shot up, his eyes wide. He looked from me to the wand, then back at me, before a smile grew on his face. Not a smirk, or a polite grin, but a radiant, bright smile that shone in his eyes and made Harry's heart burst with emotion. "I bought it for you, Draco, to protect you when I can't because now that I have you, I can't lose you."

"Harry," Draco said, stunned. "Harry, I...I don't-" His mouth opened and closed, fighting for the right words to say. After a while, the silence was starting to get to me.

"Draco?" I asked, concerned. His smile gradually slipped away as he traced the pattern of the bright white cracks through the tip. "Draco, it's just a Christmas present. I just wanted to replace your wand since it's my fault that you lost the hawthorn, and I thought that you would like something to protect you from water so you would be able to face your fears. I thought you would like that I took the time to find one of _your_ feathers for it and that I actually researched wand lore so I could order the perfect one." I couldn't stop rambling, but he wouldn't look at me. He stared reverently at the wand in his hands, so I pulled my Christmas present from my pocket, shoving it in his line of sight. "And then you left this for me, and it's the greatest gift I could have ever got, and," I sighed, deflated, "Draco, _please_, say something."

Draco shook his head, testing his grip with the blue wand. He swished it back and forth in a complex figure eight motion. Smoke patterns that swirled like water floated through the air, then vanished with a crack. Pressure surrounded my third finger on my left hand, before it centered into a cold ring at the base of my finger. When I looked down, I saw a plain silver band with a thin pattern of gold knots swirling through it. I looked up and he was smirking. "Marry me, Potter."

My heart felt like it was going to explode in shock. "What?!" I blurted stupidly.

"Marry me." he repeated, unfazed.

"I-I, um, what?" I spluttered. He laughed, a quiet, warm chuckle, but it still made my breath hitch. His eyes warmed until it was no longer inviting, but predatory. He moved closer to me, and even though we weren't touching, I could still feel heat pulsing from both him and his new wand. I shivered, goosebumps rising on my skin.

"I want you, Potter. Now, later, from here until the end of time. I want your brilliant arse, and I will want it every day of my life, anytime, anywhere. Marry me, so I can go ahead and start, or I will make your life a living hell." His smirk sent my pulse racing. He had me backed up against the wall, pinned in the main hall of Grimmauld Place.

I swallowed past my dry throat, and found my voice. "Ok. I mean, yes. Merlin!"

Draco smiled briefly, before slamming his lips into mine. I took his hips with bruising force, pulling his body into mine. He groaned, wrapping one hand around my back, and the other around the side of my neck, after tossing his wand into the living room. "Bedroom?" I gasped, breaking the kiss. He chuckled, placing open-mouthed kisses down my neck. My head was spinning.

"I want to try something first," he mumbled against my throat. His hands slid down to where my hands had his hips and he laced his fingers through mine, gripping tightly.

"What?" I asked. He just smiled, but then I felt a warm pulsing heat seep through the bandages on my palms. The heat made the burns underneath sear with a familiar fire. I looked over Draco's shoulder, and saw the wand glow brilliantly at the tip, before the world swirled away in sounds and colors.

* * *

**DRACO'S POV:**

When we Apparated to the bedroom, I couldn't help myself. My hands were all over Harry, ripping away clothes, throwing those ridiculous glasses to the side, and throwing Harry onto the bed. I hurried in taking my own clothes off before straddling Harry's waist

His brilliant green eyes shone in the dim light, making me pause. Merlin, this man was gorgeous! "Why do you still wear glasses?" he asked. Harry took my hands in his, kissing the knuckles.

"I won't for long. I made an appointment with a Healer to get my eyes fixed. When I recover from this, I'll start the treatments." I felt my face split in another grin. I couldn't remember a time when I smiled so much, besides Issy.

"You're amazing, you know that, Potter?" Harry smirked, shockingly similar to mine.

"So I've heard. I am the Boy Who Lived, you know? But I'm not shite compared to the Snake Slayer?"

"Snake Slayer?!" We broke out into a relieving laugh, finally a weight lifted off of both of us. We could now live. We could now have normal, quiet lives.

"I don't know. There is no telling what the Daily Prophet will call you." A sour note struck inside me.

"Well, traitor comes to mind. There's no telling when the center of a story is a Malfoy." I grimaced. Harry shook his head, pecking my lips.

"Well, they better get used to it. I mean, if Harry Potter has no problem becoming a Malfoy, then they shouldn't have a problem being nice to one." The truth of those words rang through us, filling our chests with joy.

Harry gasped as a wave of magic whirled around him, like a ripple in a pond. I groaned, dropping my head. Harry's cock was hard and slick, and when I positioned himself over him, he noticed my entrance was slick, too. I sank onto Harry's cock. Harry had to grip my hips and bite into his lip to keep from coming. I didn't stretch myself. Merlin, I was tight!

"Oh, Draco! Oh, bloody _hell_, Draco!"

My face twisted into a concentrated scowl. I squeaked in pain once or twice before I was fully seated in Harry's lap, every inch of his cock stretching my channel.

"Oh, Merlin's balls, Harry! I feel every inch of you! Oh, fuck!" We sat there as my body adjusted. Harry could feel the intense heat and pressure on his cock, and it was driving him insane. I struggled to take in a strong breath, but the throbbing heat of Harry's cock was making it very hard to concentrate. My body was screaming to move, to grind, to do _something!_

Harry's hands slid around to grip my arse, before he started to move. I cursed as stars exploded behind my eyes and my head went completely fuzzy. All I could think, all I could say was, "Harder!"

Everything was a desperate chaos of skin, grunts, and thrusting. All Harry and I could do was hold on as every emotion of this past year burst inside of us.

"I thought you were dead!" Harry cried as he thrust against my prostate. I cried out, before gripping Harry's mess of hair, clinging to him.

"All I could, _oh yes, like that_, all I could think was you had to live. _Oh, Harry!_" My body clenched around Harry's cock. Harry howled as it pushed him over the edge. He grabbed my hips again as he thrust as hard as he could, one, two, three more times before the world around us exploded in a white-hot blast. One more thrust and I screamed Harry's name as I came on to his chest.

We collapsed in a tangle of limbs, but we couldn't bring ourselves to care. Those raw emotions were still pulsing through us, then I noticed tears dripping from Harry's eyes. "Harry," I said, alarmed. Harry shook his head, smiling.

"Don't worry, Draco. You know me, I was always the emotional sort." Harry laughed half-heartedly, wiping away the wetness around his eyes. "I did think you were dead though. Everyone had already given up on you."

"But you didn't. Why does that not surprise me?" I smirked. I felt high on the afterglow. I wished this feeling would never end. "I thought I was going to lose you, too. It was nearing a month and they wouldn't tell me anything except '_He's tired._' It drove me mad." Harry shivered. I smiled before reaching down to retrieve the quilt that was kicked into the floor. I covered us both, before pulling Harry into my arms.

"Promise me you won't tie me to the headboard and disappear?" We laughed, then I pulled Harry's lips to mine, sharing a deep kiss. When I pulled away, Harry tried to follow, his eyes foggy. I chuckled.

"I promise not to disappear, but tying you to the headboard sounds fun."

Harry chuckled, too. "Prat. So, think I should Floo Ron and Hermoine and invite them over for an engagement party?" Harry was just joking, but my smirk stopped him.

"Maybe, but not tonight. Ron finally managed to make a dinner date with Hermoine. And if he took the ring I helped pick out, then we might have to throw a party for them, too." Harry stared, stunned. I couldn't help but kiss him again.

"Don't worry, Potter. Everything is going to be fine." Harry propped his head on his hand, and looked me in the eye.

"What makes you think you're right?"

"I may have had one or two visions. After all, you are marrying a Seer." I pushed Harry onto his back, taking advantage of his adorable confusion to slide my cock into his slick, stretched entrance, making Harry cry out in surprise. I smirked again. _I love magic!_ I thought.


	14. Chapter 14

_**(Thirteen Years Later)**_

**DRACO'S POV: **

My face was screwed into a tight grimace as I scraped out more teacups. This lesson always surprised me when the students picked up the art of reading tea leaves, considering how much I suck at it. One cup had what looked like a whale, but then I turned it and it looked like a tulip. I shook my head, throwing the cup into the large bin for the house elves.

It's been ten years since I replaced Trelawney at Hogwarts teaching Divination, since I shocked everyone, except Harry, by applying for the position. It's also been ten years since Harry and I said 'I Do' on the front steps of Malfoy Manor, or now, Blicknot's Bed and Breakfast. Selling Malfoy Manor was a quick, easy decision made between the last of the Malfoys. Harry and I had a long engagement. We weren't in any rush to get married, but then when I found out I was pregnant, without anyone expecting it of course, Harry was suddenly obsessed with both our daughter and our wedding. By the time Irissia Lillian Malfoy was born, the nursery was built and stocked, and Blicknot's was booked for the spring of the next year. On Issy's second birthday, I told Harry about getting the job at Hogwarts. He was thrilled, so thrilled that he got a job at Hogwarts also as a flying coach. We certainly took everyone by surprise, moving into a family sized flat in the faculty's wing. House elves cared for Issy while we were in classes, but Harry hardly stayed busy. The first years only took a few hours out of Harry's week. Quidditch was mostly in the later half of the week, and after my classes were dismissed, so Issy barely noticed our absence. It really was a simple, almost ideal, life.

"You've been scraping the tea leaves out of that cup for ten minutes now." Harry's amused voice made me jump, the cups clattering in the bin. He was smiling, his age barely affecting his gorgeous looks. His black hair was still wild, always wind-blown, even if he didn't have classes. His eyes were shining brilliantly without his glasses. The healing procedures on his eyes took months of painful spellwork and disgusting potions, but after nearly a year of healing, his eyes were perfect, in more ways than one. As a matter of fact, his first day without glasses was also the day Issy was conceived. "What's on your mind, Draco?" he was concerned.

"Thinking about us." I said. He pulled up one of the low stools, sitting bow-legged beside me. He picked up another tea cup, cleaning it out. He paused, turning the cup this way and that before looking up at me, smirking.

"I see the grim." I slapped his shoulder, and we laughed. He stopped laughing, looking at me with a warm smile. "Really, though? I see half of a sun." I looked over his shoulder, and sure enough, it was half of a sun, cut off by a straight line, like a horizon.

"Maybe a sunset?" I asked. Harry shook his head.

"No." He replied, setting the cup aside, to clean another. "The word sunrise comes to mind. What would that mean, my dear Professor?" He chuckled. I reached across him, plucking up the cup. I went to pull back, but Harry's lips claiming mine sent my mind spinning. I thought Harry's power to drive me to distraction would fade over time, but it still felt as intense as the first time, every time. He pulled away, with a smirk that was almost exactly like mine. "Narcissa is coming to pick up Issy for the weekend. So here is what I'm thinking, dinner in Paris, your favorite restaurant, gondala ride in Venice, and a chalet in the Alps, with a roaring fireplace and absolutely no one else."

"You know I hate Apparating." I whined weakly. He smiled, kissing my neck. My brain tilted on its side when I felt a hand caress my inner thigh, too high up to ignore. "Oh, Merlin." He chuckled, his hot breath tickling my throat.

"I'll make it worth your troubles, Draco. I always do." I pushed away from him, before I do something very immature, such as bending Harry over my desk. I shook myself, trying to will away my stiff cock.

"Let's go pack," I said, my voice breathless.

"Already done," Harry said, his voice hoarse. He pressed up flush behind me, teasing my ass with his hard length. My head was suddenly too heavy, as it fell back on his shoulder.

I groaned, "Ok, let me finish cleaning up, then we can go." Harry kissed my neck again, before heading for the door. He had his hand on the doorknob, before he turned back to me. "So about that sunrise? What does it mean?"

I held the cup tenderly in my hands, before cleaning it out. "It means new beginnings. It means that no matter how dark things get, the light will always bring you back." Harry stared at me, mystified before smiling, his eyes glowing.

"Remind me we should toast to that over dinner. I'm looking forward to it." He left the room, his steps echoing for what seemed like forever, leaving Draco in his classroom.

I felt my face break into a small smile, and I noticed my hand was absently stroking my stomach. My stomach didn't look that much different, and I barely noticed the tiny, almost invisible, bump, but I could feel the tiniest of flutters in my gut, tickling me. I couldn't enjoy wine with dinner, but thankfully, I wasn't hit with morning sickness yet. It was almost a stroke of luck that Mother agreed to watch Issy for the weekend, so I could tell Harry the wonderful news. In my Mind's eye, I could see a boy who looked as much like Harry as Issy looked like me. His little head was topped with a untamed tuft of black hair and his green eyes shone brilliantly. They glowed as he laughed.

Yes, a bright beginning to look forward to, indeed.


	15. BONUS SCENE

**Bonus Scene: _For all my readers that may have felt a little cheated, I'm so sorry. I wrote this whole story and completely forgot to throw this scene in somewhere. So here it is, the scene you were waiting for. The Black Lake..._**

* * *

Draco paced back and forth at the edge of the forest. He could see his team gathering ahead at the Quidditch pitch. He wondered if their uniforms were as hot and tight as his. He patiently waited, forcing himself to take deep breaths, as Harry knelt on the ground, intentionally jinxing his broom. "This had better work, Potter!" Draco snapped as Harry rubbed a jinxing balm on the bristles. "You and that daffy Headmaster are failing to realize what this stunt means!"

"Calm down, Draco." Harry recited for the millionth time. He pulled a wrapped piece of taffy out of his pocket and threw it at the blonde. "Just pop this in your mouth and chew it. Dumbledore had it made just for you. It has an extract of gillyweed in it, so it should help you stay under."

"Stay under?!" Draco squeaked before he could stop himself. Harry looked up, shocked by the outburst. "You mean I...? I mean, I have to-?" The world tilted on its head and Draco was feeling sick to his stomach. "I can't do this, Potter. I-I can't." Harry put down the broomstick, standing to meet Draco's gaze as the blonde paled considerably.

"Deep breaths, Draco. Remember that." Draco forced a deep breath in, but it froze in his throat, along with bile.

"I can't do this, Potter. What if this doesn't work? What happens someone pulls me out? What happens then?"

"Then we'll try something else." Draco shook his head, plucking his cursed broom from the ground.

"They'll know." He said, trembling. "They always know." Harry rolled his eyes, having the nerve to straighten Draco's pads.

"They don't know that someone you're supposed to hate is standing here with you now. They don't know that you are going to go up there and follow through with this to protect your mother. They don't know how brave you are, Draco." Draco felt his heart leap in his throat. No one here has ever said something so...so nice to him. Don't have anyone to blame about that but himself, he guessed. "Draco, this," he forced up Draco's sleeve, showing him the clean, unmarred skin of his forearm, "means that you are ready. That you have what it takes. _He_ has put you through enough pain."

_You have no idea, _Draco thought bitterly. "Fine, don't be such a bloodied Gryffindor about it."

Harry smiled, turning up at one side, like it was meant to be a smirk. "I'll take that as a compliment." Draco couldn't help but smile also as they shook hands. As he turned to leave, his heart pounded and his palms sweat. He felt like he was going to be sick.

"Deep breaths." He told himself as he ran up to the Quidditch pitch, cursed broom in hand.

* * *

"Deep breaths," Harry said as he pulled Draco's wand out of his pocket. He felt wretched, like a monster, as he took the piece of hawthorn between his hands and snapped it in half. It was a necessary evil, though. Draco couldn't be trusted to do it himself. He said so himself.

* * *

_"We'll have to snap my wand, and toss it in." Draco told the Headmaster as he leaned over his desk._

_"And why is that, Mr. Malfoy?" He asked, his eyes twinkling over his half-moon spectacles. Draco once again turned back to Harry, who nodded in encouragement. When Draco had started to trust Harry? Harry would never know, but he couldn't help but feel a odd form of pride at the gesture._

_"Father will look for it. They need tangible proof that I went in. They'll never believe otherwise. Harry will have to do it, though. I think if I have my wand, I'll be too tempted to save myself."_

_"A noble thought, Mr. Malfoy."_

_"Nobility has nothing to do with it, Headmaster. It's only cowardice."_

_"I would like to call it a different name." Dumbledore smiled, warm and proud. "I would call it courage." Harry watched Draco swell with emotion, but quickly squash it. He never lost that small smile on his face, however._

* * *

He could already hear Draco swearing and yelling at his teammates as they circled over the pitch. Draco was certainly a demanding man. Harry had a brief moment of worry that perhaps Draco would give the Room of Requirement a run for its money.

He pulled his wand from his bag, stashing his things behind a tree, before making his way down to the lake. It had been raining earlier that day, so Harry luckily didn't see a soul around the lake. As he neared the edge, he heard shrieks and screams from the pitch. He chanced a look to the sky to see, sure enough, Draco's broom absorbed the jinx and was now jerking around like a wild stallion. Anyone who could see the outside would be watching him, not Harry. He rushed into the lake, casting a hasty Bubblehead charm, before submerging himself in the cold water, out of sight before anyone could notice.

The water was as dim and grimy as he remembered. Shadows of grindylows and mermaids passed him, but he ignored them as he kicked forward, determined to reach the center of the lake before Draco fell. He was unsure how long the broom would keep him in the air. When he tested the balm, he only lasted five minutes on the broom before it threw him, but he would bet money that being suspended a few dozen feet in the air would lengthen that time.

Once in position, he let go of the pieces of Draco's wand letting them float away on the current. Harry could hear the muffled cries of someone falling, then a large weight fell into the water behind him, crashing on top of him.

Hands scrambled to grab hold of Harry. They desperately clung to whatever they could, making Harry fear for not only Draco's life, but his own, too.

"Draco!" He tried to yell, but it was muffled by the water. Draco met Harry's eyes and the look on his face was one of pure terror. His lips formed around a word that Harry couldn't understand, but he knew Draco was saying that one word over and over.

Harry took Draco's hands, holding him there with him under the water. Draco held on, his hands in a death grip, as gills formed on the side of his neck, and skin webbed between his fingers.

"You have to stay with me." Harry said loudly, and slowly. Draco squinted his eyes in confusion, but then nodded, hesitantly.

The water grew colder as the sun set. They couldn't really see the sky being so deep in the water, but they could tell by the growing darkness that night was falling. By now, the wand and broom would have washed up on the shore, and the curious students looking for a body would have walked away, disappointed.

Draco's head whipped around at every sound and every movement that happened under the water, and Harry's hands were starting to cramp from Draco's steady, steel grip, but he couldn't bring himself to let go. Terrified was an understatement as Harry watched Draco. His eyes were blown wide, tracking every shadow of motion around them. His body felt like taut steel, and tension radiated off of him in waves. Harry wondered if Draco's paralyzing fear was the reason no underwater creatures have come to investigate them yet. Then again, Dumbledore could have had something to do with it also.

Harry shifted his feet uncomfortably in the muddy floor of the lake, desperate for sound, color, anything interesting. He wished he had thought of a way to keep them entertained as they waited for nightfall. He wished that they could at least talk.

Draco's hands crushed Harry's suddenly, making Harry grunt. Draco's mouth formed around words rapidly. The only words Harry could really catch were 'Harry' and 'wand'.

Harry drew his wand, facing whatever terrified Draco, but stopped when he just saw what looked like a little seahorse. He looked back at Draco, perplexed, but turned back, in time for the seahorse to strike out with his tail, which had a sharp metallic talon on the end. Harry cursed, muffled by the water. There on his shoulder was a nice-sized gash, blood oozing out sluggishly. It curled in the darkness of the water like smoke, but then dissipated as the water around Harry started churning viciously.

Draco kicked and pulled with all of his strength, gunning for the surface as Harry struggled to follow him, trying to stop him. Did they wait long enough? Would anyone be there? Harry decided they would find out, because soon Draco was breaking through the surface, screaming in fear? Rage? Harry didn't know.

"Never again!" He cried, as Harry resurfaced, sound bursting in his ears like a clap of thunder. Draco swam for the bank, yelling, cursing, sobbing. Harry tried to follow. Thankfully, no one was around, and the night was black. Many of the lights in the castle were extinguished and the grounds were quiet.

"Draco, you have to be quiet." He hissed, finally catching up to him.

"Fuck you, Potter! Fuck all of you!" He reached the bank, crawling on to the grass, before collapsing on the ground. "Oh, Merlin! Never again!" Harry clumsily left the lake and rushed up to Draco.

"Draco, are you okay?" Harry was alarmed to see Draco crying hysterically, clawing the ground and sobbing painfully. "Draco!" He hurried to collect Draco in his arms, holding the taller boy to his chest as he cried and cursed loudly. "Draco, it's okay. It worked. You're safe." He rocked Draco lightly, but then winced when Draco gripped his injured arm.

Draco yanked his hand back, looking at the blood on his fingertips, before collapsing into hysterics again. "Issy! Issy! Irissia! I'm so sorry!" He clung to Harry desperately, sobbing into his neck, as Harry rocked them back and forth. "Issy! I miss you so much!"

Harry held Draco as his hysterics calmed into sobs, then the sobs calmed into whimpers. The night air chilled them to the bones in their wet clothes, but Harry refused to move. He held Draco protectively to him, as Draco clung to him with everything he had.

"Draco?" He asked softly. Draco sniffed before pulling away. His eyes were blank of emotion, as was his expression. "Draco?"

"Never do this to me again, Potter!" He seethed, standing. Harry followed, unable to process what just happened as they snuck into the castle.

They were climbing up the stairs when Harry spoke again, "Draco, are you alright?"

Draco said nothing. They continued to the Room of Requirement, the occasional sniffle the only proof Draco was still there.

"Draco?" Harry pleaded. The silence was scaring him, and the sad, hopeless look on Draco's face scared him even worse. "Please say something. Anything." The door to the room appeared and Draco stepped forward, entering the room, before turning in the doorway to face Harry.

"Thank you." Draco's throat closed with the weight of those two words, and he couldn't bear it. He shoved the door shut in Harry's face, leaning against it as he listened to Harry stomp away slowly.

* * *

Another sob ripped its way out, forcing stinging, bitter tears out of Draco's eyes. He remembered the feel of Harry's arms, warm and protective around him, as he held on for dear life. Fear and pain ripped through him and he fell, but then Harry was there to catch him. Harry was there to hold him as he slowly came back, the raw edges no longer scarred, but healing. "Thank you, Harry."

That night, he didn't have a vision. Instead, he dreamed of warm arms and fiery green eyes hiding him, protecting him...holding him.


End file.
